Walk with me down memory lane for a quick example of how expensive some cities costs.
My old rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, CA in 2013 – $2,000.
My mortgage for a 4-bedroom house in Durham, NC in 2013 — $1,300.
The rent on that old apartment now… around $5,000. My mortgage now? Still $1,300.
The cost of San Francisco was one the major factors in our decision to leave, but is San Francisco even the most expensive city in America?
According to the most recent data, San Francisco, CA is actually the most expensive city in the United States. We used Saturday Night Science to compare the cost of living across cities. A big portion of that is housing costs, but things like healthcare, groceries, and utilities also play a role.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Cities In The United States For 2024
The least expensive city in America? Buffalo, Ny.
California is home to a major portion of the most expensive cities in the top 20. A lot of that does in fact have to do with housing costs, but San Francisco didn’t take the top spot because things like services and groceries aren’t as expensive.
For more on the top twenty, read on. Or if you’re looking for some cheaper places to live, check out:
The Top 20 Most Expensive Cities In America
#1 Most Expensive City In America
San Francisco, CA
Population: 851,036
Cost Of Living Index: 201
Median Income: $136,689
Home Prices: $1,254,436
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.2x (10th most affordable)
More on San Francisco: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
San Francisco is my favorite place to live. I grew up here and was raised there. It has a lot of great food and great places to visit as a tourist. It’s a melting pot of all types of races and especially being Asian, I can relate to other people.
The good is that they have lots of things to do. It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is, there’s always something to do. The bad is that it’s very expensive to live there, and the homeless is a huge problem.
#2 Most Expensive City In America
Fremont, CA
Population: 228,795
Cost Of Living Index: 186
Median Income: $169,023
Home Prices: $1,413,076
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.4x (14th most affordable)
More on Fremont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
#3 Most Expensive City In America
Irvine, CA
Population: 304,527
Cost Of Living Index: 184
Median Income: $122,948
Home Prices: $1,331,528
Home Price To Income Ratio: 10.8x (2nd most affordable)
More on Irvine: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Awesome place. Super safe. Plenty of things to do: nature, city, eats, movies, films, and events.
Expensive. Everything you wanna do here is expensive. You need some income.
#4 Most Expensive City In America
San Jose, CA
Population: 1,001,176
Cost Of Living Index: 180
Median Income: $136,010
Home Prices: $1,330,692
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.8x (5th most affordable)
More on San Jose: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The crime is very low if you are away from the east side. Even then, for a continually growing city of over 1 million. The local sports team is major league hockey so during hockey season, there is a lot of excitement going on in downtown. Culturally, there is a good mixture of all ethnicity so food selection is diverse. As more people move in for job opportunities due to the tech industry, traffic is getting worse and worse. Most people are here for the jobs and weather.
The thing that will be shocking about the place is the cost of living. A decent house will cost upward of a million dollars. Living here is a struggle unless you make a lot of money. Everything is expensive, especially rent. If you live anywhere near a big tech firm, prepare to pay a lot for that luxury. As mentioned before, traffic is a nightmare. Going anywhere during rush hour and on major freeways like the 101 will take forever. Due to property prices, many have no choice but to commute and sit in traffic – adding an extra 1-2 hours to their workday.
#5 Most Expensive City In America
Arlington, VA
Population: 235,845
Cost Of Living Index: 164
Median Income: $137,387
Home Prices: $761,141
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.5x (4most affordable)
More on Arlington: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
#6 Most Expensive City In America
Seattle, WA
Population: 734,603
Cost Of Living Index: 156
Median Income: $116,068
Home Prices: $827,235
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.1x (2most affordable)
More on Seattle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I love Seattle. There is so much to do and see. It’s right on Puget Sound so there is water everywhere you look. And Mt. Rainier is close by and when the mountain is “out”, as the locals say, the view can’t be beat. The waterfront area has so many fun things to do. The wheel is wonderful, and there are great places to shop. One of my favorite shops on the waterfront is Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. There are so many unique, wonderful and interesting things there. And the best place for lunch is Ivar’s Fish Bar, where you can get fish and chips, eat on the pier, and feed your left over french fries to the seagulls!
The variety of the geography – you’ve got the water on one side and the mountains on the other. And there are a lot of activities to check out.
#7 Most Expensive City In America
Oakland, CA
Population: 437,825
Cost Of Living Index: 154
Median Income: $94,389
Home Prices: $790,956
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.4x (13th most affordable)
More on Oakland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
To everybody thinking about moving to Oakland : It’s dreadful, horrible chaos. Please just stay where you are.
Actually, Oakland s a wonderful place to live. We just don’t need any more people here. Really.
Bad: weather. Bad: diverse, fun population. You’ve been warned. Lol
#8 Most Expensive City In America
San Diego, CA
Population: 1,383,987
Cost Of Living Index: 151
Median Income: $98,657
Home Prices: $955,846
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.7x (6th most affordable)
More on San Diego: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
San Diego is beautfiul!!!! Beaches are a real treat and the carne asada is to die for!
I don’t like how packed the beaches get and parking is a joke! You have to arrive very early to find parking at Mission Beach.
#9 Most Expensive City In America
Boston, MA
Population: 665,945
Cost Of Living Index: 148
Median Income: $89,212
Home Prices: $714,795
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x (15th most affordable)
More on Boston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Everything was great!
Everything is definitely great!
#10 Most Expensive City In America
Los Angeles, CA
Population: 3,881,041
Cost Of Living Index: 147
Median Income: $76,244
Home Prices: $926,593
Home Price To Income Ratio: 12.2x (most affordable)
More on Los Angeles: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Los Angeles is a great place and it’s so beautiful. It’s always sunny and there’s always something to do. Crime all depends on the area you leave in. I would say be careful period being that this is a huge city.
The bad is that there’s so many people here. There’s always traffic. The worst is the 405 freeway. The streets are no better.
#11 Most Expensive City In America
New York, NY
Population: 8,622,467
Cost Of Living Index: 146
Median Income: $76,607
Home Prices: $733,006
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.6x (7th most affordable)
More on New York: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
i love it no place like it.. i had lived here my whole life and i dont think i can ever see myself living anywhere else.. i had visit a few places.. but there is no place like home.. when i am away i get home sick.. even thou there is so many people and it a bit crazy as to how fast pace it is.. this is my kind of town
what about it it is crazy busy.. too many people.. everything is too fast…the good you can travel using a bike train bus car, so my kinds of people from all over the world.. all kinds of food
#12 Most Expensive City In America
Long Beach, CA
Population: 462,293
Cost Of Living Index: 145
Median Income: $78,995
Home Prices: $799,165
Home Price To Income Ratio: 10.1x (4th most affordable)
More on Long Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I moved to Long Beach to attend Cal State University Long Beach. Honestly, it changed my life. I grew up in a different suburb in California, but Long Beach is so different. I wouldn’t necessarily live here for my whole life, but it was definitely worth coming here for college. I like coming back and visiting here to see my friends.
My favorite thing about Long Beach is that there are honestly always places to go to, and it’s not too far to go to other fun cities like LA. It’s not too quiet but never too loud either unless you live somewhere that is filled with college students. The weather is great, too. And of course, we’re near a few beaches, so that’s great.
#13 Most Expensive City In America
Anaheim, CA
Population: 347,111
Cost Of Living Index: 145
Median Income: $88,538
Home Prices: $844,174
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.5x (8th most affordable)
More on Anaheim: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I believe there is a lot of crime in LA because it is a big city. I usually stay to myself when i go visit LA. As far as schools go, i have several family and friends that attend schools there and it seems like its fairly safe. I myself attended school in Anaheim when i was 10 yrs old, which was 39 years ago and I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences there. Traffic is horrible so if you want to go anywhere, you have to allot yourself a lot of time to get to your destination. People seem friendly enough and there are a lot of places to eat and visit
I love love Disneyland and California Adventure and could never get sick of going there. It is the happiest place on Earth and everyone i’ve come across at the parks have been nothing but kind and pleasant to be around…after all, they’re all there to have a great time and escape real life, if even for a day or more.
I love being close to the beaches and the nice sunny weather. I dislike the traffic and the smog that pollutes the air. I feel that it is getting overcrowded but i still like to visit as often as i can
#14 Most Expensive City In America
Santa Clarita, CA
Population: 225,850
Cost Of Living Index: 144
Median Income: $116,186
Home Prices: $773,299
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.7x (22nd most affordable)
More on Santa Clarita: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Overall, Santa Clarita from a younger individual’s perspective is very bland. The city simply lacks of things to do.
What stood out the most about Santa Clarita is how I felt secured in this city. Also the family appears to be more about raising a family.
#15 Most Expensive City In America
Santa Ana, CA
Population: 311,379
Cost Of Living Index: 140
Median Income: $84,210
Home Prices: $753,174
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.9x (12th most affordable)
More on Santa Ana: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
#16 Most Expensive City In America
Chula Vista, CA
Population: 276,103
Cost Of Living Index: 139
Median Income: $101,984
Home Prices: $809,308
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.9x (16th most affordable)
More on Chula Vista: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
#17 Most Expensive City In America
Anchorage, AK
Population: 290,674
Cost Of Living Index: 132
Median Income: $95,731
Home Prices: $373,986
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.9x (78th most affordable)
More on Anchorage: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
It’s known place for its diverse terrain of open spaces, mountains and forests, with abundant wildlife and many small towns. It’s a destination for outdoor activities like skiing, mountain biking and kayaking. I had a great experience at there.
Very good experience.
#18 Most Expensive City In America
Scottsdale, AZ
Population: 240,537
Cost Of Living Index: 126
Median Income: $104,197
Home Prices: $798,175
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.7x (17th most affordable)
More on Scottsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
#19 Most Expensive City In America
Riverside, CA
Population: 316,076
Cost Of Living Index: 124
Median Income: $83,448
Home Prices: $606,630
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.3x (19th most affordable)
More on Riverside: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I’ve lived in Riverside most of my life and never once heard it refered to by anyone as wiggerside.
Of course I can’t hear much of anything over the ranchero music…||But I promise you the acre of land I live on in Riverside is 100% more picturesque and beautiful then the shithole apartment your typing this clickbate from somewhere in Canoga Park.”
#20 Most Expensive City In America
Jersey City, NJ
Population: 287,899
Cost Of Living Index: 123
Median Income: $91,151
Home Prices: $591,988
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.5x (24th most affordable)
More on Jersey City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Cities To Live In The USA For 2024
To create our list of the most expensive cities in America, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the cost of living index across several bundles of goods for the 100 biggest cities in the United States.
We derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
To create a score, we ranked every city on its cost of living index. We crowned the city with the highest score as the “Most Expensive City In America For 2024.” We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive cities in the United States.
Summary: The Most Expensive Big Cities In The US
After measuring the cost of living in every city in the county, San Francisco is the most expensive city there is to live.
The cities in the United States with the highest cost of living are San Francisco, CA, Fremont, CA, Irvine, CA, San Jose, CA, Arlington, VA, Seattle, WA, Oakland, CA, San Diego, CA, Boston, MA, and Los Angeles, CA.
My plan now? Stay in Durham for as long as I can — it’s one of the cheaper big cities to call home in America.
And for those playing at home, here’s a look at the least expensive cities in America:
- Buffalo
- Cleveland
- Memphis
For more, read on:
Most Expensive Cities In The US For 2024
Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | San Francisco, CA | 851,036 | 201 | $136,689 | $1,254,436 | 9.2x |
2 | Fremont, CA | 228,795 | 186 | $169,023 | $1,413,076 | 8.4x |
3 | Irvine, CA | 304,527 | 184 | $122,948 | $1,331,528 | 10.8x |
4 | San Jose, CA | 1,001,176 | 180 | $136,010 | $1,330,692 | 9.8x |
5 | Arlington, VA | 235,845 | 164 | $137,387 | $761,141 | 5.5x |
6 | Seattle, WA | 734,603 | 156 | $116,068 | $827,235 | 7.1x |
7 | Oakland, CA | 437,825 | 154 | $94,389 | $790,956 | 8.4x |
8 | San Diego, CA | 1,383,987 | 151 | $98,657 | $955,846 | 9.7x |
9 | Boston, MA | 665,945 | 148 | $89,212 | $714,795 | 8.0x |
10 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,881,041 | 147 | $76,244 | $926,593 | 12.2x |
11 | New York, NY | 8,622,467 | 146 | $76,607 | $733,006 | 9.6x |
12 | Long Beach, CA | 462,293 | 145 | $78,995 | $799,165 | 10.1x |
13 | Anaheim, CA | 347,111 | 145 | $88,538 | $844,174 | 9.5x |
14 | Santa Clarita, CA | 225,850 | 144 | $116,186 | $773,299 | 6.7x |
15 | Santa Ana, CA | 311,379 | 140 | $84,210 | $753,174 | 8.9x |
16 | Chula Vista, CA | 276,103 | 139 | $101,984 | $809,308 | 7.9x |
17 | Anchorage, AK | 290,674 | 132 | $95,731 | $373,986 | 3.9x |
18 | Scottsdale, AZ | 240,537 | 126 | $104,197 | $798,175 | 7.7x |
19 | Riverside, CA | 316,076 | 124 | $83,448 | $606,630 | 7.3x |
20 | Jersey City, NJ | 287,899 | 123 | $91,151 | $591,988 | 6.5x |
21 | Portland, OR | 646,101 | 121 | $85,876 | $523,622 | 6.1x |
22 | Plano, TX | 284,948 | 119 | $105,679 | $503,025 | 4.8x |
23 | Sacramento, CA | 523,600 | 118 | $78,954 | $467,947 | 5.9x |
24 | Bakersfield, CA | 404,321 | 115 | $73,827 | $377,282 | 5.1x |
25 | Virginia Beach, VA | 457,900 | 114 | $87,544 | $384,137 | 4.4x |
26 | Miami, FL | 443,665 | 114 | $54,858 | $569,425 | 10.4x |
27 | Stockton, CA | 320,030 | 114 | $71,612 | $428,288 | 6.0x |
28 | Chicago, IL | 2,721,914 | 113 | $71,673 | $283,025 | 3.9x |
29 | Denver, CO | 710,800 | 112 | $85,853 | $558,402 | 6.5x |
30 | Gilbert, AZ | 267,267 | 112 | $115,179 | $566,231 | 4.9x |
31 | Chesapeake, VA | 249,377 | 112 | $92,703 | $374,172 | 4.0x |
32 | San Bernardino, CA | 221,041 | 111 | $61,323 | $455,364 | 7.4x |
33 | Fresno, CA | 541,528 | 110 | $63,001 | $363,927 | 5.8x |
34 | Newark, NJ | 307,355 | 110 | $46,460 | $432,693 | 9.3x |
35 | Chandler, AZ | 275,618 | 109 | $99,374 | $519,175 | 5.2x |
36 | Enterprise, NV | 225,461 | 109 | $91,165 | $463,796 | 5.1x |
37 | Colorado Springs, CO | 479,612 | 108 | $79,026 | $440,298 | 5.6x |
38 | Austin, TX | 958,202 | 107 | $86,556 | $533,213 | 6.2x |
39 | Henderson, NV | 318,063 | 107 | $85,311 | $461,416 | 5.4x |
40 | Atlanta, GA | 494,838 | 106 | $77,655 | $379,030 | 4.9x |
41 | Madison, WI | 268,516 | 106 | $74,895 | $369,136 | 4.9x |
42 | Reno, NV | 265,196 | 105 | $73,073 | $526,202 | 7.2x |
43 | Garland, TX | 244,026 | 105 | $71,044 | $297,145 | 4.2x |
44 | Baltimore, MD | 584,548 | 104 | $58,349 | $179,189 | 3.1x |
45 | Minneapolis, MN | 426,877 | 104 | $76,332 | $318,812 | 4.2x |
46 | Richmond, VA | 227,171 | 103 | $59,606 | $328,655 | 5.5x |
47 | Hialeah, FL | 222,996 | 103 | $49,531 | $445,753 | 9.0x |
48 | Raleigh, NC | 465,517 | 102 | $78,631 | $431,992 | 5.5x |
49 | Aurora, CO | 387,349 | 102 | $78,685 | $472,149 | 6.0x |
50 | Norfolk, VA | 236,973 | 102 | $60,998 | $284,301 | 4.7x |
51 | Tampa, FL | 388,768 | 101 | $66,802 | $391,344 | 5.9x |
52 | New Orleans, LA | 380,408 | 101 | $51,116 | $253,741 | 5.0x |
53 | Orlando, FL | 307,738 | 101 | $66,292 | $373,263 | 5.6x |
54 | Las Vegas, NV | 644,835 | 100 | $66,356 | $399,875 | 6.0x |
55 | Irving, TX | 254,962 | 100 | $76,686 | $337,139 | 4.4x |
56 | St. Paul, MN | 308,806 | 99 | $69,919 | $278,672 | 4.0x |
57 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,609,456 | 98 | $72,092 | $417,187 | 5.8x |
58 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,593,208 | 98 | $57,537 | $216,286 | 3.8x |
59 | Charlotte, NC | 875,045 | 98 | $74,070 | $387,529 | 5.2x |
60 | Mesa, AZ | 503,390 | 98 | $73,766 | $431,607 | 5.9x |
61 | Durham, NC | 284,094 | 98 | $74,710 | $395,610 | 5.3x |
62 | Dallas, TX | 1,300,642 | 97 | $63,985 | $306,310 | 4.8x |
63 | St. Petersburg, FL | 259,343 | 97 | $70,333 | $375,897 | 5.3x |
64 | Spokane, WA | 227,922 | 97 | $63,316 | $374,653 | 5.9x |
65 | North Las Vegas, NV | 264,022 | 96 | $71,774 | $385,939 | 5.4x |
66 | Baton Rouge, LA | 225,500 | 96 | $50,155 | $214,487 | 4.3x |
67 | Fort Worth, TX | 924,663 | 95 | $72,726 | $303,501 | 4.2x |
68 | Winston-Salem, NC | 249,571 | 95 | $54,416 | $241,673 | 4.4x |
69 | Nashville, TN | 684,103 | 94 | $71,328 | $428,714 | 6.0x |
70 | Louisville, KY | 629,176 | 94 | $63,114 | $231,566 | 3.7x |
71 | Albuquerque, NM | 562,551 | 94 | $61,503 | $321,089 | 5.2x |
72 | Arlington, TX | 393,469 | 94 | $71,736 | $312,016 | 4.3x |
73 | Glendale, AZ | 248,083 | 94 | $66,375 | $405,468 | 6.1x |
74 | Houston, TX | 2,296,253 | 93 | $60,440 | $260,901 | 4.3x |
75 | Tucson, AZ | 541,033 | 93 | $52,049 | $324,757 | 6.2x |
76 | Omaha, NE | 489,201 | 93 | $70,202 | $268,796 | 3.8x |
77 | Milwaukee, WI | 573,299 | 91 | $49,733 | $191,843 | 3.9x |
78 | Greensboro, NC | 297,202 | 91 | $55,051 | $248,523 | 4.5x |
79 | Jacksonville, FL | 950,203 | 90 | $64,138 | $293,086 | 4.6x |
80 | Indianapolis, IN | 882,006 | 90 | $59,110 | $218,415 | 3.7x |
81 | Kansas City, MO | 505,958 | 90 | $65,256 | $227,993 | 3.5x |
82 | Tulsa, OK | 411,938 | 90 | $56,648 | $192,607 | 3.4x |
83 | Wichita, KS | 395,951 | 90 | $60,712 | $183,706 | 3.0x |
84 | Cincinnati, OH | 308,870 | 90 | $49,191 | $235,782 | 4.8x |
85 | Pittsburgh, PA | 303,843 | 90 | $60,187 | $224,210 | 3.7x |
86 | Lincoln, NE | 290,531 | 90 | $67,846 | $267,971 | 3.9x |
87 | Corpus Christi, TX | 317,804 | 89 | $64,449 | $216,357 | 3.4x |
88 | San Antonio, TX | 1,445,662 | 88 | $59,593 | $257,552 | 4.3x |
89 | Columbus, OH | 902,449 | 88 | $62,994 | $237,662 | 3.8x |
90 | Oklahoma City, OK | 681,088 | 88 | $64,251 | $195,449 | 3.0x |
91 | Fort Wayne, IN | 264,514 | 88 | $58,233 | $216,656 | 3.7x |
92 | Lubbock, TX | 258,190 | 88 | $58,734 | $204,713 | 3.5x |
93 | El Paso, TX | 677,181 | 87 | $55,710 | $213,288 | 3.8x |
94 | Toledo, OH | 269,962 | 85 | $45,405 | $114,512 | 2.5x |
95 | Detroit, MI | 636,787 | 84 | $37,761 | $66,544 | 1.8x |
96 | St. Louis, MO | 298,018 | 84 | $52,941 | $168,569 | 3.2x |
97 | Laredo, TX | 255,293 | 83 | $60,928 | $206,477 | 3.4x |
98 | Memphis, TN | 630,027 | 80 | $48,090 | $144,868 | 3.0x |
99 | Cleveland, OH | 370,365 | 80 | $37,271 | $100,343 | 2.7x |
100 | Buffalo, NY | 276,688 | 80 | $46,184 | $215,169 | 4.7x |