2026 Authoritative Data • 42,000+ USPS ZIP Codes & Census Integrated

Compare Cost of Living Across Every US City & ZIP Code

Detailed metrics for housing, groceries, utilities, taxes, transit, and healthcare down to your exact 5-digit ZIP code.

42,000+
USPS ZIP Codes
50
US States & DC
12
Financial Tools
Monthly
CPI Index Updates
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Interactive US Affordability Map

Explore Cost of Living by State & Metro

Select State to InspectShowing 50 States
0% Income Tax
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CA State Summary

California

State Population:39,538,223
Median Household Income:$84,097
Median Home Price:$785,000
State Income Tax:13.3%
Average Combined Sales Tax:8.82%

Major Cities in California

View Full California Cost of Living Report
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Cost of Living Relocation Calculator

Compare your current salary with the equivalent purchasing power needed in any target US city.

Equivalent Target Salary
$44,420

To maintain your current standard of living when moving from New York to Dallas.

Cost Difference-56% lower
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National Rankings 2026

US Cost Index Leaderboard

RankCity / Metro AreaCOL IndexMedian RentMedian Home PriceMedian Household IncomeAction
#1New York, NY228.5$3650/mo$795,000$70,663Full Data
#2Los Angeles, CA174.2$2850/mo$915,000$69,778Full Data
#3Seattle, WA152.1$2450/mo$825,000$105,391Full Data
#4Miami, FL122.8$2600/mo$580,000$47,860Full Data
#5Chicago, IL114.5$2150/mo$335,000$65,781Full Data
#6Austin, TX112.4$2100/mo$535,000$78,965Full Data
#7Denver, CO111.8$2050/mo$565,000$78,177Full Data
#8Phoenix, AZ104.2$1850/mo$420,000$64,994Full Data
#9Dallas, TX101.5$1800/mo$345,000$58,200Full Data
#10Houston, TX95.8$1650/mo$275,000$56,019Full Data

Frequently Asked Questions About US Cost of Living

Everything you need to know about cost of living indices, data sources, and calculation methods.

What does a Cost of Living Index score of 100 mean?

An index score of 100 represents the official U.S. national average benchmark across housing, groceries, utilities, transit, and healthcare. A city with a score of 120 is 20% more expensive than average.

Where does your cost of living data come from?

Data is ingested directly from authoritative government sources including the U.S. Census Bureau ACS, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), and EIA energy surveys.

How often are city datasets updated?

CPI indices, gasoline prices, and rent numbers are refreshed monthly, while state and county tax rates are audited quarterly.

Which US states have 0% state income tax?

Texas, Florida, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, Tennessee, and New Hampshire (on earned income) have 0% state income tax.