Thinking of Moving? Here’s What It Costs to Live in These 30 Cities

Thinking of moving? Make sure to consider the cost of living before packing your bags. From grocery bills and gas prices to rental rates and real estate prices, the cost of living in a city affects your day-to-day life and long term financial goals. Those living in expensive cities (or planning to move to one) must think long and hard about how far their money will take them. In other words: how well will you be able to live in a specific city compared to others?

How to figure out if the cost of living in a city fits your needs

First consider your current and/or potential income, job opportunities and lifestyle needs. In addition, you’ll need to take a look at a city’s housing market, quality of life and cost of living compared to the national average. Remember: while your salary may go far in one city, it may not go far in another. While someone making $60,000 a year can afford a 3-bedroom home in Raleigh, NC, they may have to settle for a small, walk up apartment (and several roommates) in New York City. Of course, if you believe that your future income has more potential to increase in NYC and that it is the best place to further your career, then living in a smaller apartment temporarily may be worth it in the end.

Why you should consider living in a city with a low cost of living

Many find that living in a city where goods, services and real estate are lower than average is much more beneficial to their long term financial goals. After all, if you’re shelling out thousands of dollars on rent every month, you won’t be able to scrimp and save for the future. In addition, if housing prices are high, expect to compromise the size of your home. Those living in expensive cities may have have to live farther out from the city center where housing is more affordable, which in turn can cause longer work commutes and more stress.

Why you should consider living in a city with a high cost of living

Despite these negatives, many still choose to live in cities where the cost of living is high. The reason? These cities tend to be desirable places to live. Perks of living in an expensive city may include an abundance of cultural opportunities and events, safe neighborhoods, good public schools and a wide array of job opportunities. After all, people are willing to pay a premium for a reason.

So how far will your salary go in America’s best cities?

Below, you’ll find the overall cost of living in 30 popular U.S. cities – including both large, cosmopolitan hubs and mid-size, suburban towns. To make it easy for you, we’ve included cost of living index data from AreaVibes and real estate prices from Realtor.com. The cost of living index compares cities to the national average score of 100. If a city’s cost of living is considered 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.

How do these cities stack up?

Among the cities we compared, the one with the highest overall cost of living was Westport, CT, followed by San Francisco, CA. Other cities with exceptionally high costs of living included Washington, DC, Newton, MA, Princeton, NJ, San Jose, CA and New York, NY. For a look at what it costs to live in 30 of America’s most popular cities, take a look at our list (listed in alphabetical order) below.