🇺🇸 Cost of Living by US State
8 states ranked from "surprisingly affordable" to "are you sure about this"
US median · single · city center
$3,832/mo
Median across 8 states with data
Cheapest
Arizona
$2,554/mo
Priciest
New York
$5,504/mo
The full damage report — cheapest to priciest
The tax map — where your paycheck goes further
Nine states charge zero income tax. On a $100k salary, that's $3,000–$13,000 more in your pocket compared to California or New York. Of course, they make it up elsewhere — property tax, sales tax, or vibes tax (looking at you, Florida Man).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest state to live in the US?▼
Based on our data, Arizona has the lowest cost of living at $2,554/month for a single person (including rent). But "cheap" is relative — state income tax, healthcare, and job markets matter too.
What is the most expensive state to live in?▼
New York tops our list at $5,504/month for a single person. High rents do most of the damage.
Which US states have no income tax?▼
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming have no state income tax. This can save $3,000–$13,000+ per year on a $100k salary compared to high-tax states.
How is cost of living calculated?▼
We aggregate real-time price data from Numbeo for rent, groceries, dining, and transport across cities in each state. The 'monthly budget' includes 1BR city-center rent, groceries, dining out, and public transport for a single person.
Cost data sourced from Numbeo. Updated periodically.