Compare living expenses across 136+ US cities — housing, groceries, utilities, transport & healthcare
Our cost of living index uses a weighted composite of six major expense categories: housing (the largest component), groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare. The national average is set at 100 — a city scoring 120 is roughly 20% more expensive than average, while a city scoring 85 is about 15% cheaper.
Housing typically accounts for the biggest variance between cities. A city like San Francisco (housing index: 327) can be over 5x more expensive for housing than a city like Memphis (housing index: 63), even though other categories remain relatively close to the national average.
Use our comparison tool to make informed decisions about relocations, job offers, retirement planning, and remote work location choices. Pair this data with our salary after tax calculator to see how far your paycheck actually goes in each city.
Amazon affiliate links