Moving from one US city to another is a common practice among citizens who want to find the best place where they can live their life at the pace that they want. If you’re looking US cities where the cost of living is fairly low, below are the highly suggested ones.
10. Youngstown, Ohio
Cost of Living Index: 90.4
Youngstown figures at the center of Ohio’s steel industry. This city is close to Pittsburgh, but living here is not as expensive. Its modern economy and declining population make it an ideal place to start a family or retire. The homes here are priced at an astounding 73% lesser than the national average. While household income is also not that high, the basic necessities like housing, grocery, and healthcare prove to be way below than the national average.
9. Jonesboro, Arkansas
Cost of Living Index: 88.9
In Jonesboro, living affordably is a reality. Everything simply costs less, from groceries to utilities. Even health care is at a bargain with the cost of visiting a dentist or an optometrist is ranked the lowest in all of the US. The cost of medicines is way cheaper too. The household income is at $40,000 while the median home value is at $133 thousand.
8. Memphis, Tennessee
Cost of Living: 88.2
Memphis is the biggest city in Tennessee. But even so, you don’t have to pay high prices for anything out here. The houses here are priced way lower too. Being close to the Mississippi River, the city is also shipping and a transport hub. Memphis is the home of FedEx, Auto Zone, and International Paper, as well as many US universities and colleges.
7. Temple, Texas
Cost of Living Index: 87.4
Temple is located north of Austin and it is a haven if you want to live affordably yet still close to the city. You’ll be surprised that the homes here costs way lower than in Austin, up to a $100 thousand less. The median house cost is just $113 thousand thereabouts. The household income here, on the other hand, is almost the same than that of Austin at around $52,000. The employment rate is also fairly high.
6. Ardmore, Oklahoma
Cost of Living Index: 87.3
Ardmore is literally considered as the ultimate shopping center for all the cities in the southern Oklahoma area. Renting a two-bedroom apartment here will cost you around $550 per month. If you decide to buy an entire house altogether, you’ll only spend some $235,000. Ardmore is located between Dallas and Oklahoma City but the cost of living here is way less than those two US cities.
5. Conway, Arkansas
Cost of Living Index: 86.6
Conway is relatively a youthful city. The ages of the residents here is at 27 years old. And that could be the reason why the cost of wine averages only $9.25 per bottle while Coke is at $1.64 per bottle. The average household income, on the other hand, is around $42,000. The houses here are priced at $230 thousand.
4. Pueblo, Colorado
Cost of Living Index: 85.6
Aside from a fairly low cost of living, the city of Pueblo in Colorado also charges an equally low state income tax rate at 4.63%. Here are just a few of the things that you can enjoy out here: $0.83 cents for a can of tuna, $1 for a head of lettuce, and $1.62 for a dozen of eggs. When it comes to entertainment, a movie date will cost you around $8.50 each. If you decide to buy a house here, you only have to invest around $200 thousand.
3. McAllen, Texas
Cost of Living Index: 85.0
If you decide to buy a home in McAllen, Texas, you’ll only have to pay $178,000. That is actually the third lowest price you can get in the entire US. The rental cost of a two-bedroom apartment until is at $708 per month. McAllen has a population of 130 thousand and the cost of living here is roughly at 16.2% cheaper than most US cities.
2. Pryor Creek, Oklahoma
Cost of Living Index: 84.5
The panoramic city of Pryor Creek is not just an affordable US city to live in but also the most relaxing and rejuvenating one at that. Living at the base of the Ozark Mountains can be a welcoming experience to some. But even if that’s the case, Pryor Creek houses the largest rural industrial park in the US. If you decide to live here, you can buy a half a gallon of milk for only $2.03 and a dozen of eggs for about $1.40.
1. Harlingen, Texas
Cost of Living: 82.8
If there’s any part of the US that is tagged as the cheapest area to live in, South Texas is it. And among the cities of South Texas, Harlingen is where you should be. Out here, cheap housing is highly available. Not only that, food and groceries are considerably priced lower too. But while it is relatively inexpensive to live here, the city’s poverty line level plays a very big factor in all of that. The average household income is at $34,096 while the median home value is $77,700.
Amber is passionate about health and lifestyle and loves to write and share her knowledge. Amber has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and she loves to travel, read and watch movies.