Last updated: 2026-05-09
Looking for the cheapest cities to live in the United States? We ranked 83 major US cities by their total monthly non-tax cost of living — housing, utilities, food, transportation, healthcare, and sales tax — using current government data. The 10 most affordable are below, with median 2-bedroom rents from HUD's Fair Market Rent dataset and category-level estimates from the Census Bureau, BLS, and BEA. Average monthly costs in the bottom 10 range from roughly $2,456 to $2,736.
Methodology note: rankings reflect HUD Fair Market Rent for one representative ZIP code per city. Cost of living can vary significantly between neighborhoods within the same city. Income tax is excluded since it depends on salary; use the comparison tool to factor it in for a specific salary.
| Rank | City | Monthly cost | 2BR rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toledo, OH | $2,456 | $890 |
| 2 | Lincoln, NE | $2,507 | $970 |
| 3 | Brownsville, TX | $2,580 | $940 |
| 4 | Wichita, KS | $2,608 | $1,070 |
| 5 | Greensboro, NC | $2,618 | $1,060 |
| 6 | Lexington, KY | $2,668 | $1,190 |
| 7 | El Paso, TX | $2,680 | $1,040 |
| 8 | Birmingham, AL | $2,681 | $1,130 |
| 9 | Mcallen, TX | $2,700 | $1,060 |
| 10 | Akron, OH | $2,736 | $1,170 |
Toledo keeps total monthly costs near $2,456, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $890/mo — +41% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $573, with utilities at $155 and groceries at $412. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 43604 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Lincoln keeps total monthly costs near $2,507, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $970/mo — +35% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $566, with utilities at $145 and groceries at $410. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 68502 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Brownsville keeps total monthly costs near $2,580, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $940/mo — +37% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $576, with utilities at $172 and groceries at $432. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 78520 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Wichita keeps total monthly costs near $2,608, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,070/mo — +29% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $553, with utilities at $148 and groceries at $402. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 67202 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Greensboro keeps total monthly costs near $2,618, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,060/mo — +29% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $559, with utilities at $152 and groceries at $419. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 27401 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Lexington keeps total monthly costs near $2,668, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,190/mo — +21% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $548, with utilities at $138 and groceries at $398. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 40502 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
El Paso keeps total monthly costs near $2,680, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,040/mo — +31% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $576, with utilities at $172 and groceries at $432. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 79901 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Birmingham keeps total monthly costs near $2,681, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,130/mo — +25% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $550, with utilities at $172 and groceries at $393. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 35203 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Mcallen keeps total monthly costs near $2,700, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,060/mo — +29% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $576, with utilities at $172 and groceries at $432. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 78501 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Akron keeps total monthly costs near $2,736, with housing a typical 2-bedroom rental at just $1,170/mo — +22% below the national median.
Monthly transportation runs about $573, with utilities at $155 and groceries at $412. Estimates use HUD Fair Market Rent for ZIP 44301 and BLS Consumer Expenditure baselines scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities.
Toledo, OH ranks as the most affordable city in our major-cities index, with total monthly non-tax costs averaging $2,456. A typical 2-bedroom rental costs $890 per month — well below the national median.
Mostly, yes. Housing is the largest single category in any city's monthly expenses, and it's also the category that varies most regionally. In our bottom 10, 2-bedroom rents typically run $900–$1,200 per month — roughly 30–40% below the national median. Other categories (food, healthcare, transportation) also tend to be cheaper in lower-cost regions, but the gap is smaller.
We rank major US cities by total monthly non-tax cost of living: housing (HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent for one representative ZIP per city), utilities (EIA state-level energy averages), food (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities), transportation, healthcare, and sales tax on non-housing spend. Income tax is excluded since it depends on salary.
Lower cost of living can dramatically improve disposable income, but salary scales with regional cost — a job paying $100,000 in San Francisco often pays $60,000–$70,000 for the same role in a low-cost city. Use the salary comparison tool above to see what an equivalent salary looks like in any specific pair of cities.
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