15 Affordable Cities with a High Quality of Life

Tired of paying big bucks for that small city apartment? It might be time to pack your bags and head somewhere more affordable. Fortunately, there are plenty of American cities where residents can enjoy both a low cost of living and a high quality of life. After all, a city doesn’t have to be super expensive to be a desirable place to live. In fact, there are numerous U.S. cities with strong job markets, good schools and safe neighborhoods that also happen to boast a below average cost of living.

To find these affordable cities, we took a look at midsize to large cities with a cost of living below the national average, based on cost of living index data from AreaVibes and real estate prices from Realtor.com. The cost of living index compares a city’s overall cost of living to the national average score of 100. If a city’s cost of living is below the national average, it will have a score lower than 100. If the city’s cost of living is higher than the national average, it will have a score above 100.

All 15 of these cities listed below have a cost of living below 100. They also received high livability scores from AreaVibes based on a variety of quality of life factors. For instance, many of these cities offer affordable real estate, excellent city amenities and an abundance of job opportunities. To learn more about these 15 affordable cities with a high quality of life, keep reading.

15 affordable cities with a high quality of life

Boise, ID

Charlotte, NC

Columbus, OH

Durham, NC

Fayetteville, AR

Fort Myers, FL

Fort Wayne, IN

Houston, TX

Lexington, KY

Nashville, TN

Omaha, NE

Phoenix, AZ

Pittsburgh, PA

San Antonio, TX

Petersburg, FL

What are the benefits of living and working in an affordable city?

Affordable cities allow residents and newcomers to meet their long term financial goals. Instead of wasting thousands of dollars on rent in an expensive city, residents can now rent or purchase a home for a reasonable price. This, in turn, means they’ll be able to save more money for retirement, vacations and other luxuries. In addition, when the cost of goods and services (think groceries, gas and childcare) are lower, residents won’t have to pay a premium to have their needs met. This means more saving and less scrimping on a daily basis.

Want to make one of these cities your new home?

Ready to move somewhere affordable and livable? To learn more about these cities, check out Moving.com’s City Profile Report feature. Our reports include city demographics, real estate information, quality of life factors and more. Simply enter the zip code or the state and city of your potential move to get a free report at the click of a button. If you decide to move, you may also need a professional moving company to assist with the heavy lifting and transportation. Fortunately, we have you covered. To find the right moving company for you, check out Moving.com’s extensive network of reputable and reliable movers – all licensed and insured. Best of luck and happy moving!