PlainCost
BEA Regional Price Parities · 387 metros · 51 states

Where does your
dollar go furthest?

Compare cost of living across 387 U.S. metros and 51 states using the official BEA Regional Price Parities — the federal benchmark for what a dollar actually buys across all 50 states.

Or jump to Cheapest metros Most expensive Salary calculator Compare two metros By state
Metro areas
387
States covered
51
Cost spread
84 – 116
Source
BEA RPP

The national picture

Most of America costs less than the "average." 77% of 387 metros price below the national benchmark — and the gap that remains is almost entirely housing, not the price of goods.

77%
of 387 metros price below the U.S. average (RPP 100)
93.5
median metro RPP — the typical metro runs 6% below average
170 pts
rent RPP spread across metros vs just 18 pts for goods
1.38×
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont vs the cheapest metro, Monroe

RPP 100 = the U.S. average. A metro at 110 is 10% more expensive than the national benchmark; one at 90 is 10% cheaper. Goods barely move between metros — the real divide is rent.

The 10 most expensive U.S. metros

Overall Regional Price Parity — 100 = national average

RPP

What this shows San Francisco tops the list at 115.6, roughly 16% above the U.S. average. Every metro on this list is driven by rents — note each bar's rent RPP runs far higher than its overall figure.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities As of 2024

Where the cost actually comes from

The six priciest and six cheapest states, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) against their housing price (vertical). Notice how little states move sideways and how far they move up: the national cost gap is almost entirely housing.

Each axis is centered on the U.S. average of 100. Goods barely span 15 points across all states; housing spans more than 50. That vertical spread — not goods — is what makes one state cost far more than another.

Each axis is centered on the U.S. average of 100. Goods barely span 15 points across all states; housing spans more than 50. That vertical spread — not goods — is what makes one state cost far more than another. 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 12 entities by Goods RPP (tradable items) → (X) and Rents RPP (housing) → (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Expensive everywhereHousing-drivenGoods-drivenAffordable everywhere 9095100105110115 50100150200 Goods RPP (tradable items) → Rents RPP (housing) → CaliforniaHawaiiDistrict of ColumbiaNew JerseyNew YorkWashingtonSouth DakotaLouisianaOklahomaIowaMississippiArkansas
Each axis is centered on the U.S. average of 100. Goods barely span 15 points across all states; housing spans more than 50. That vertical spread — not goods — is what makes one state cost far more than another.

Cost of living by state

Every state color-coded by overall RPP. Cooler greens = below the national average (cheaper); warm amber and red = above average (more expensive). Tap any state to see its metro breakdown.

  1. Cheap (RPP <90)
  2. Below avg (90-100)
  3. Above avg (100-110)
  4. Expensive (≥110)
Alabama 88.8 Alaska 102.4 Arizona 100.7 Arkansas 86.9 California 110.7 Colorado 103.1 Connecticut 103.6 Delaware 99.8 District of Columbia 109.9 Florida 103.4 Georgia 96.3 Hawaii 110.0 Idaho 95.5 Illinois 100.0 Indiana 93.3 Iowa 87.8 Kansas 90.1 Kentucky 90.2 Louisiana 88.2 Maine 97.0 Maryland 105.0 Massachusetts 105.8 Michigan 96.2 Minnesota 98.6 Mississippi 87.0 Missouri 90.8 Montana 94.6 Nebraska 90.1 Nevada 100.0 New Hampshire 104.2 New Jersey 108.8 New Mexico 92.2 New York 107.9 North Carolina 94.3 North Dakota 89.0 Ohio 92.8 Oklahoma 87.8 Oregon 103.4 Pennsylvania 97.6 Rhode Island 102.3 South Carolina 93.7 South Dakota 88.6 Tennessee 91.9 Texas 97.1 Utah 98.9 Vermont 98.0 Virginia 101.1 Washington 107.0 West Virginia 89.5 Wisconsin 94.1 Wyoming 92.7

How to use this data

Three moves that turn the cost-of-living index into a decision.

  • 77% of the 387 metros price below the national average — but the savings are almost all housing. Rents span about 170 points across metros while goods move only ~18, so sort by rents to find where a dollar truly stretches. Cheapest metros
  • Two metros can share an overall index yet differ sharply on housing — compare any pair side by side before you commit. Compare metros
  • Negotiating a remote or relocation salary? Convert pay to local purchasing power first, not headline dollars. Salary calculator

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark — a spatial comparison across places for the data year shown, not a measure of inflation over time. Pair it with local wages before deciding.

Learn & Explore

Go beyond the data with our in-depth guides on cost of living, salary negotiation, and making the most of RPP data.

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026

The most affordable metro areas in the US ranked by BEA Regional Price Parities, including housing and services.

How to Use RPP Data in Salary Negotiations

Use Regional Price Parity data to make a data-driven case for your salary in relocation or remote work discussions.

Comparing Metro Areas: A Practical Walkthrough

Step-by-step guide to using the BEA RPP breakdown for an honest cost comparison between two metros.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does PlainCost get its cost of living data?

All data comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities (RPP), which measures price level differences across U.S. metropolitan areas relative to the national average.

What are Regional Price Parities?

Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes that measure cost differences between metro areas. An RPP of 110 means prices are 10% above the national average, while 90 means 10% below. They cover goods, services, and housing.

Is PlainCost free?

Yes, PlainCost is completely free. You can look up cost of living data for any of our 387 metro areas, use salary relocation calculators, and compare cities without any account or payment.

How can I use PlainCost for a job relocation?

Use our salary relocation pages to see how your current salary translates to equivalent purchasing power in a different city. This accounts for differences in housing, goods, and services costs based on BEA data.

Rankings & Comparisons

See where every metro stands on the BEA's price index — overall, rents, services, and goods. Each ranking page lists the top 100 metros with full RPP breakdown.

Rankings

Most Expensive US Metros

Top 100 most expensive metropolitan statistical areas by overall BEA Regional Price Parity, 2024 data. Rent component breakdown included.

 Rankings

Cheapest US Metros

Most affordable U.S. metros, where the BEA index sits well below the national average. Each entry shows full goods/services/rents breakdown.

 Rankings

Highest Rent Metros

U.S. metros ranked by BEA RPP-Rents component. Cross-referenced with HUD Fair Market Rent for federal context.