Cost of living comparison by state

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How much you spend on major expenses such as housing, groceries and insurance all affect your cost of living – and prices for goods and services can vary widely by location.

That means a state’s cost of living can make the difference between being financially comfortable or living paycheck to paycheck.

To compare the cost of living in various places, Insure.com ranked each of the 50 states using data from the Center for Regional Competitiveness, a management organization that oversees the Council for Community and Economic Research. 

The data track regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, allowing Insure.com to evaluate factors such as:

• Housing
• Groceries
• Transportation
• Utilities
• The cost of home and auto insurance
• Health care

Our base cost of living is represented by a reading of 100. In this case, 100 represents the national average. Locations are then indexed against this number. 

For example, a state with a cost of living of 110 would be 10% higher than the national average.

Based on our cost-of-living assessment, Hawaii is the most expensive state at 185.51 while Mississippi is the least expensive at 85.46.

If you are considering moving, or simply want to know how your state stacks up, read on for more information about the cost of living by state.

What is cost of living?

Cost of living refers to the amount of money you need to cover basic living expenses in a certain location. That can include the average cost of:

• Rent/mortgage payments
• Utilities
• Food and groceries
• Health care
• Home and auto insurance
• Transportation 
• Other goods and services

Cost of living can tell you how expensive it is to live in one area versus another.

Average cost of living by state

Here’s how each state ranks when it comes to cost of living:

Hawaii has a cost-of-living index of 185.51, making it 85.5% more expensive than the national average. 

Mississippi ranks lowest, with an index value of 85.46. That is a 14.5% savings over the national average.

States such as California and Hawaii have a much higher cost of living than places such as Iowa and Oklahoma. 

The cost of living varies within each state, too. Rural areas usually have a lower cost of living than suburban and urban areas. Even one metro area within a state can have a very different cost of living than another metro in the same state.

For example, cities such as Houston, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, Austin, Amarillo, and Beaumont are all proudly Texan. However, the cost to live in each varies.

The more congested Northeast isn’t immune to substantial cost of living variations, either.

New York has the New York City area, Long Island and Westchester County, which all have high costs. However, the Empire State also includes more affordable areas such as Albany, Rochester, Utica and Buffalo.

So, don’t write off an entire state if it has a high cost of living overall. Instead, dig deeper into the numbers to gauge specific regional costs.

Cheapest states to live in

According to our data, the Midwest and South are the parts of the U.S. with the lowest cost of living. Here are the 10 states with the lowest cost of living and how they compare to the national average:

Most expensive states to live in

As far as the most expensive states to live in, they tend to fall along the two coasts. Here are the 10 most expensive states to live in and how their cost of living compares to the national average:

Why cost of living matters

A state’s cost of living significantly impacts your ability to save money and build wealth. If you live in an area with a high cost of living and don’t have a strong income to support it, you could end up living paycheck to paycheck.

On the other hand, a lower cost of living means expenses are relatively low. So, you might have more room in your budget to save, invest or spend on items you need – or want.

However, keep in mind that wages often mirror the cost of living. If you live in an expensive area such as San Francisco or Washington, D.C., your salary will likely be higher to account for that fact.

If you live in Kalamazoo, Michigan, or Jackson, Mississippi, your expenses and salary will likely be lower.

What is a cost of living adjustment (COLA)?

In order to ensure that retiree incomes keep up with inflation, an annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) is typically applied to both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

The first COLA occurred in 1975. The adjustment is based on the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which is calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Social Security and SSI benefits increased by 8.7% in 2023.

Cost of living calculator

Whether you’re moving to start a job or relocating in retirement, our cost of living calculator can help you evaluate how much it will cost you to live in your new destination.

For instance, compare costs related to major budget categories such as:

• Housing
• Groceries
• Utilities
• Health care
• Other goods and services
• Home and auto insurance

You can also compare any two factors side-by-side.

Our cost of living calculator provides information about the salary you’ll need to maintain your current standard of living. 

Knowing what you’ll need to earn to maintain your lifestyle gives you critical information that can help you decide whether moving to that area is worth it.

New York, NY Boise City, ID

$22,290

Cost of living in Boise City, ID, after-tax

Cost of Living

55.42% lower

in Boise City, ID, than New York, NY

Auto Insurance

68% lower

in Boise City, ID, than New York, NY

Home Insurance

30% lower

in Boise City, ID, than New York, NY

Compare cost of living: Boise City, ID, vs New York, NY

Cost in
Boise City, ID

------- vs -------

Cost in
New York, NY

Housing

-74%

Groceries

-29%

Utilities

-22%

Transportation

-1%

Healthcare

-8%

Misc. Goods & Services

-23%

Auto Insurance

-68%

Home Insurance

-30%

Auto Insurance

• New York, NY: $5,199
• Boise City, ID: $1,663
• % Change: 68% lower

Find Insurers in Boise City, ID

Home Insurance

• New York, NY: $2,241
• Boise City, ID:
  $1,563
• % Change: 30% lower

Find Insurers in Boise City, ID

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L O A D I N G

Methodology

A cost of living index evaluates several factors, which are weighted in terms of importance. Below are the eight main expense categories we used to gauge cost of living, from most to least important:

• Miscellaneous goods and services (30%)
• Housing (29%)
• Groceries (13%)
• Transportation (9%)
• Utilities (9%)
• Health care (4%)
• Auto insurance (2%)
• Home insurance (2%)

We then ranked the states by those results. The base cost of living is always represented by 100; in this case, 100 represents the national average. Locations are then indexed against this number. For example, a state with a 110 on the cost of living index would be 10% higher than the national average.

Chris Kissell

Contributing Researcher

 

 . .

Chris Kissell is a Denver-based writer and editor with work featured on U.S. News & World Report, MSN Money, Fox Business, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Money Talks News and more.

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