Cost of Living Index by State 2026
Hawaii
OklahomaCost of Living Index
States Ranked by Cost of Living Index
State | Cost of Living Index 2025↓ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Hawaii | 185.0 |
 | California | 142.3 |
 | Massachusetts | 141.2 |
 | District of Columbia | 138.8 |
 | New York | 125.1 |
 | Alaska | 124.9 |
 | Maryland | 115.4 |
 | New Jersey | 115.1 |
 | Washington | 114.1 |
 | Vermont | 113.6 |
 | Maine | 113.0 |
 | Connecticut | 112.7 |
 | Oregon | 111.8 |
 | New Hampshire | 111.4 |
 | Arizona | 110.7 |
 | Rhode Island | 110.6 |
 | Colorado | 102.7 |
 | Florida | 102.2 |
 | Utah | 102.2 |
 | Delaware | 101.9 |
 | Virginia | 100.8 |
 | Nevada | 100.2 |
 | Idaho | 99.9 |
 | North Carolina | 97.8 |
 | Wisconsin | 97.7 |
 | Pennsylvania | 97.2 |
 | Montana | 95.5 |
 | Illinois | 94.7 |
 | South Carolina | 94.7 |
 | Minnesota | 94.6 |
 | Ohio | 94.3 |
 | New Mexico | 93.7 |
 | Wyoming | 93.7 |
 | Nebraska | 92.6 |
 | Georgia | 92.5 |
 | Kentucky | 92.5 |
 | Louisiana | 92.3 |
 | Texas | 92.1 |
 | South Dakota | 91.9 |
 | North Dakota | 91.4 |
 | Indiana | 91.0 |
 | Tennessee | 90.3 |
 | Michigan | 90.1 |
 | Iowa | 89.7 |
 | Arkansas | 89.6 |
 | Missouri | 89.0 |
 | Kansas | 88.8 |
 | Alabama | 88.6 |
 | West Virginia | 88.3 |
 | Mississippi | 87.3 |
 | Oklahoma | 86.0 |
 | United States | 103.4 |
- The Cost of Living Index (COLI) compiles the six subcategories (housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services) into a single value. State taxes do not appear to be included in the original source’s calculations.
- COLI values are relative to a national average value of 100 (100%). For example, a COLI of 87.9 is 12.1% below the average, while a COLI of 112 is 12% higher than average.
Key Findings
Cheapest State to Live In
Wyoming is the cheapest state to live in with a cost of living index of 93.7. The three cheapest states to live in are West Virginia (88.3), Wisconsin (97.7), and Wyoming (93.7).
The cheapest states to live in typically have significantly lower housing costs, which make up the largest share of overall living expenses.
Most Expensive State to Live In
Alabama is the most expensive state to live in with a cost of living index of 88.6. The three most expensive states are Alabama (88.6), Alaska (124.9), and Arizona (110.7).
The most expensive states to live in are driven primarily by housing costs that can be 2-3x higher than the national average.
Cost of Living by State
Cost of living by state varies significantly across the United States, with Alabama costing nearly twice as much as Wyoming.
The cost of living index uses the national average (100) as a baseline. States above 100 are more expensive than average, while states below 100 are cheaper.
States Ranked by Cost of Living Index
State Comparison
Cost of living varies dramatically across states. Housing costs drive most of the variation, with states like Hawaii and California having housing indexes 2-3x higher than states like Mississippi and Kansas.
