Which Cities Have the Lowest Cost of Living in 2024?

The cities with the lowest cost of living in 2024 include Fort Wayne, IN, Wichita Falls, TX, Brownsville, TX, South Bend, IN, and Dayton, OH. This list is based on the respective city’s average rent, cost of health insurance, average income, monthly grocery expenses, gas prices, and basic major medical plans. Living in a city with a low cost can allow for much more flexible budgets and savings for other expenses. 

Which Cities Have the Lowest Cost of Living?

Niche compiled a list ranking the cities in 2024 with the lowest and highest costs of living. Many factors contributed to the company’s ranking of cities, and we broke down five significant categories in the table below.

Average Cost of Living by Category for 5 Cities

*The Basic Major Medical Plan was based on eHealth’s health insurance quote listed for the cheapest health insurance in the state. Plan prices may vary based on specific zip codes. 

Median Household Income in Cities with the Lowest Cost of Living

The median household income across those five cities ranged from $34,457 to $51,454. The national median household income in 2022 was $67,521, which is well above the median incomes listed for cities with the lowest cost of living. However, it is essential to note that you should compare incomes to the cost of living in that respective city as a higher cost necessitates a higher income.

Rent for a One-Bedroom Apartment

In June of 2022, the median rent cost for a one-bedroom apartment was $1,876, a 23.9% increase from June 2020. The average rent for each of the five cities with the lowest cost of living is significantly lower than the national average.

There are many ways to make your monthly rent more affordable and budget-friendly. Some methods include having clarity in knowing what you want, learning when the right time to negotiate is, and making your offer mutually beneficial for both you and your landlord.