How is cost of living measured?

Cost of living is measured using regional price parities (RPPs) published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). These indices compare the price of a basket of goods and services across states, with 100 representing the national average. A state with an index of 110 is 10% more expensive than average, while 90 is 10% cheaper.

Which states have the highest cost of living?

Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey consistently rank as the most expensive states. Hawaii has the highest overall cost of living at approximately 119% of the national average, driven largely by housing costs (157% of average) and grocery prices (128% of average). Housing is typically the largest cost difference between states.

Which states have the lowest cost of living?

Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Alabama are among the most affordable states. Mississippi has the lowest overall cost of living at approximately 85% of the national average. These states benefit from significantly lower housing costs, which can be 30-40% below the national average.

Does this calculator account for state income taxes?

This calculator focuses on the cost of goods and services (prices), not taxes. For a complete picture, use our Take-Home Pay Calculator or Paycheck Calculator to compare after-tax income in different states. Nine states have no income tax, which can significantly affect your take-home pay even if the cost of living is similar.

How accurate is a state-level cost of living comparison?

State-level indices provide a useful general comparison, but costs can vary significantly within a state. For example, living in New York City is much more expensive than upstate New York. Urban areas typically have higher housing costs than rural areas within the same state. Use these numbers as a starting point and research specific cities for more precise estimates.

Cost of Living Calculator 2026

Compare the cost of living between any two US states. See how much salary you would need in a new state to maintain your current lifestyle, compare equivalent rent, and explore category-by-category differences in housing, groceries, transportation, healthcare, and utilities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living by City

Explore city-specific cost of living data for 200+ major US cities.

Alabama (4 cities)

BirminghamCOL: 82 HuntsvilleCOL: 91 MontgomeryCOL: 82 MobileCOL: 82

Alaska (1 city)

AnchorageCOL: 127

Arizona (10 cities)

PhoenixCOL: 103 TucsonCOL: 93 MesaCOL: 100 ChandlerCOL: 108 GilbertCOL: 112 GlendaleCOL: 98 ScottsdaleCOL: 128 TempeCOL: 108 PeoriaCOL: 104 SurpriseCOL: 100

Arkansas (1 city)

Little RockCOL: 86

California (40 cities)

Colorado (6 cities)

DenverCOL: 128 Colorado SpringsCOL: 104 AuroraCOL: 112 Fort CollinsCOL: 113 ThorntonCOL: 106 LakewoodCOL: 112

Connecticut (4 cities)

BridgeportCOL: 110 HartfordCOL: 100 New HavenCOL: 108 StamfordCOL: 152

Florida (13 cities)

JacksonvilleCOL: 95 MiamiCOL: 127 TampaCOL: 103 OrlandoCOL: 103 St. PetersburgCOL: 104 HialeahCOL: 108 TallahasseeCOL: 95 Fort LauderdaleCOL: 122 Cape CoralCOL: 100 Pembroke PinesCOL: 110 HollywoodCOL: 112 MiramarCOL: 108 ClearwaterCOL: 100

Georgia (4 cities)

AtlantaCOL: 107 MaconCOL: 78 SavannahCOL: 90 AthensCOL: 90

Idaho (2 cities)

BoiseCOL: 107 MeridianCOL: 105

Illinois (4 cities)

ChicagoCOL: 107 AuroraCOL: 96 JolietCOL: 93 NapervilleCOL: 118

Indiana (2 cities)

IndianapolisCOL: 90 Fort WayneCOL: 82

Iowa (2 cities)

Des MoinesCOL: 87 Cedar RapidsCOL: 85

Kansas (3 cities)

WichitaCOL: 84 TopekaCOL: 82 OlatheCOL: 98

Kentucky (2 cities)

LouisvilleCOL: 89 LexingtonCOL: 93

Louisiana (3 cities)

New OrleansCOL: 99 Baton RougeCOL: 89 ShreveportCOL: 82

Maryland (1 city)

BaltimoreCOL: 102

Massachusetts (2 cities)

BostonCOL: 152 WorcesterCOL: 110

Michigan (2 cities)

Grand RapidsCOL: 91 Sterling HeightsCOL: 92

Minnesota (2 cities)

MinneapolisCOL: 109 St. PaulCOL: 105

Mississippi (1 city)

JacksonCOL: 78

Missouri (4 cities)

Kansas CityCOL: 91 St. LouisCOL: 88 SpringfieldCOL: 82 ColumbiaCOL: 89

Nebraska (2 cities)

OmahaCOL: 91 LincolnCOL: 89

Nevada (4 cities)

Las VegasCOL: 104 HendersonCOL: 108 RenoCOL: 110 North Las VegasCOL: 100

New Jersey (4 cities)

NewarkCOL: 112 Jersey CityCOL: 140 PatersonCOL: 108 ElizabethCOL: 115

New Mexico (1 city)

AlbuquerqueCOL: 92

New York (3 cities)

New York CityCOL: 187 RochesterCOL: 89 YonkersCOL: 145

North Carolina (8 cities)

CharlotteCOL: 100 RaleighCOL: 101 GreensboroCOL: 88 DurhamCOL: 102 Winston-SalemCOL: 86 FayettevilleCOL: 86 CaryCOL: 108 ConcordCOL: 95

North Dakota (1 city)

FargoCOL: 92

Ohio (5 cities)

ColumbusCOL: 92 CincinnatiCOL: 90 ToledoCOL: 80 AkronCOL: 82 DaytonCOL: 80

Oklahoma (2 cities)

Oklahoma CityCOL: 87 TulsaCOL: 86

Oregon (3 cities)

PortlandCOL: 130 SalemCOL: 105 EugeneCOL: 110

Pennsylvania (2 cities)

PhiladelphiaCOL: 102 PittsburghCOL: 96

Rhode Island (1 city)

ProvidenceCOL: 104

South Carolina (2 cities)

ColumbiaCOL: 92 CharlestonCOL: 107

South Dakota (1 city)

Sioux FallsCOL: 92

Tennessee (6 cities)

NashvilleCOL: 105 MemphisCOL: 83 KnoxvilleCOL: 87 ChattanoogaCOL: 88 ClarksvilleCOL: 88 MurfreesboroCOL: 95

Texas (26 cities)

Utah (3 cities)

Salt Lake CityCOL: 110 West JordanCOL: 102 West Valley CityCOL: 98

Virginia (5 cities)

Virginia BeachCOL: 102 NorfolkCOL: 95 ChesapeakeCOL: 99 RichmondCOL: 98 Newport NewsCOL: 92

Washington (5 cities)

SeattleCOL: 156 SpokaneCOL: 95 TacomaCOL: 115 VancouverCOL: 110 BellevueCOL: 170

Wisconsin (2 cities)

MilwaukeeCOL: 90 MadisonCOL: 106

Cost of Living by ZIP Code

Look up cost of living data for 300+ ZIP codes across the US.

Alabama (5 ZIPs)

35201Birmingham 36601Mobile 35801Huntsville 36104Montgomery 35401Tuscaloosa

Alaska (5 ZIPs)

99501Anchorage 99701Fairbanks 99801Juneau 99901Ketchikan 99611Kenai

Arizona (10 ZIPs)

85001Phoenix 85701Tucson 85201Mesa 85281Tempe 85251Scottsdale 85301Glendale 85224Chandler 85381Peoria 85338Goodyear 86001Flagstaff

Arkansas (5 ZIPs)

72201Little Rock 72701Fayetteville 72901Fort Smith 72401Jonesboro 71601Pine Bluff

California (15 ZIPs)

90001Los Angeles 94102San Francisco 92101San Diego 95101San Jose 95814Sacramento 92801Anaheim 93301Bakersfield 92501Riverside 90802Long Beach 94601Oakland 93401San Luis Obispo 92614Irvine 93101Santa Barbara 94501Alameda 90210Beverly Hills

Colorado (8 ZIPs)

80201Denver 80903Colorado Springs 80301Boulder 80521Fort Collins 80010Aurora 80537Loveland 81001Pueblo 80631Greeley

Connecticut (5 ZIPs)

06101Hartford 06604Bridgeport 06510New Haven 06901Stamford 06320New London

Delaware (5 ZIPs)

19801Wilmington 19901Dover 19701Bear 19971Rehoboth Beach 19720New Castle

Florida (12 ZIPs)

33101Miami 32801Orlando 33601Tampa 32099Jacksonville 33301Fort Lauderdale 34201Sarasota 33401West Palm Beach 32301Tallahassee 33701St. Petersburg 32901Melbourne 34102Naples 33139Miami Beach

Georgia (8 ZIPs)

30301Atlanta 31401Savannah 30901Augusta 31201Macon 30601Athens 30005Alpharetta 30024Suwanee 30064Marietta

Hawaii (5 ZIPs)

96801Honolulu 96740Kailua-Kona 96720Hilo 96753Kihei 96786Wahiawa

Idaho (6 ZIPs)

83702Boise 83201Pocatello 83301Twin Falls 83401Idaho Falls 83814Coeur d Alene 83642Meridian

Illinois (10 ZIPs)

60601Chicago 61801Champaign 62701Springfield 61101Rockford 60505Aurora 60435Joliet 60540Naperville 60614Chicago Lincoln Park 60093Winnetka 61602Peoria

Indiana (6 ZIPs)

46201Indianapolis 46801Fort Wayne 46601South Bend 47401Bloomington 47901Lafayette 46032Carmel

Iowa (6 ZIPs)

50301Des Moines 52401Cedar Rapids 52801Davenport 50701Waterloo 50010Ames 52001Dubuque

Kansas (5 ZIPs)

67201Wichita 66101Kansas City 66044Lawrence 67401Salina 66502Manhattan

Kentucky (5 ZIPs)

40201Louisville 40501Lexington 42001Paducah 42101Bowling Green 41001Covington

Louisiana (5 ZIPs)

70112New Orleans 70801Baton Rouge 71101Shreveport 70501Lafayette 71201Monroe

Maine (5 ZIPs)

04101Portland 04401Bangor 04330Augusta 04240Lewiston 04901Waterville

Maryland (6 ZIPs)

21201Baltimore 20901Silver Spring 20740College Park 21401Annapolis 21701Frederick 20850Rockville

Massachusetts (8 ZIPs)

02101Boston 01101Springfield 01601Worcester 02138Cambridge 02108Boston Beacon Hill 02169Quincy 02740New Bedford 01002Amherst

Michigan (8 ZIPs)

48201Detroit 49503Grand Rapids 48933Lansing 48104Ann Arbor 49001Kalamazoo 48601Saginaw 49684Traverse City 48301Bloomfield Hills

Minnesota (7 ZIPs)

55401Minneapolis 55101St. Paul 55901Rochester 55802Duluth 56301St. Cloud 55343Hopkins 55044Lakeville

Mississippi (5 ZIPs)

39201Jackson 39530Biloxi 39401Hattiesburg 38801Tupelo 38655Oxford

Missouri (5 ZIPs)

63101St. Louis 64101Kansas City 65801Springfield 65201Columbia 63301St. Charles

Montana (5 ZIPs)

59601Helena 59801Missoula 59101Billings 59401Great Falls 59901Kalispell

Nebraska (5 ZIPs)

68101Omaha 68501Lincoln 68801Grand Island 69101North Platte 68901Hastings

Nevada (5 ZIPs)

89101Las Vegas 89501Reno 89701Carson City 89002Henderson 89052Henderson South

New Hampshire (5 ZIPs)

03101Manchester 03301Concord 03801Portsmouth 03060Nashua 03246Laconia

New Jersey (8 ZIPs)

07102Newark 08601Trenton 07030Hoboken 07302Jersey City 08540Princeton 08901New Brunswick 07601Hackensack 07960Morristown

New Mexico (5 ZIPs)

87101Albuquerque 87501Santa Fe 88001Las Cruces 88201Roswell 87301Gallup

New York (12 ZIPs)

10001New York 10011New York Chelsea 11201Brooklyn 10301Staten Island 10451Bronx 11101Long Island City 14201Buffalo 13201Syracuse 12201Albany 14604Rochester 10701Yonkers 11743Huntington

North Carolina (8 ZIPs)

27601Raleigh 28201Charlotte 27401Greensboro 27101Winston-Salem 27701Durham 28801Asheville 28401Wilmington 27514Chapel Hill

North Dakota (5 ZIPs)

58501Bismarck 58102Fargo 58201Grand Forks 58701Minot 58401Jamestown

Ohio (8 ZIPs)

43215Columbus 44101Cleveland 45202Cincinnati 43604Toledo 44308Akron 45402Dayton 43081Westerville 45040Mason

Oklahoma (5 ZIPs)

73101Oklahoma City 74101Tulsa 73069Norman 74801Shawnee 74401Muskogee

Oregon (6 ZIPs)

97201Portland 97401Eugene 97301Salem 97701Bend 97501Medford 97330Corvallis

Pennsylvania (8 ZIPs)

19101Philadelphia 15201Pittsburgh 17101Harrisburg 18015Bethlehem 18501Scranton 16501Erie 17602Lancaster 19301Paoli

Rhode Island (5 ZIPs)

02901Providence 02840Newport 02860Pawtucket 02886Warwick 02891Westerly

South Carolina (5 ZIPs)

29201Columbia 29401Charleston 29601Greenville 29577Myrtle Beach 29301Spartanburg

South Dakota (5 ZIPs)

57101Sioux Falls 57701Rapid City 57401Aberdeen 57501Pierre 57069Vermillion

Tennessee (6 ZIPs)

37201Nashville 38101Memphis 37901Knoxville 37402Chattanooga 37064Franklin 37130Murfreesboro

Texas (12 ZIPs)

77001Houston 75201Dallas 78201San Antonio 73301Austin 76101Fort Worth 79901El Paso 78401Corpus Christi 79401Lubbock 75024Plano 77494Katy 77381The Woodlands 78613Cedar Park

Utah (5 ZIPs)

84101Salt Lake City 84601Provo 84401Ogden 84770St George 84043Lehi

Vermont (5 ZIPs)

05401Burlington 05602Montpelier 05701Rutland 05301Brattleboro 05201Bennington

Virginia (8 ZIPs)

23219Richmond 23510Norfolk 22301Alexandria 22201Arlington 23451Virginia Beach 24011Roanoke 22901Charlottesville 22030Fairfax

Washington (7 ZIPs)

98101Seattle 98401Tacoma 99201Spokane 98501Olympia 98225Bellingham 98004Bellevue 98052Redmond

West Virginia (5 ZIPs)

25301Charleston 26501Morgantown 25401Martinsburg 26003Wheeling 25801Beckley

Wisconsin (5 ZIPs)

53201Milwaukee 53701Madison 54301Green Bay 54601La Crosse 53188Waukesha

Wyoming (5 ZIPs)

82001Cheyenne 82601Casper 82070Laramie 82414Cody 82901Rock Springs

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