For the past few years, the cost of living in the U.S. has been on the rise, with some areas bearing more of the brunt than others. Though some average expenses, such as those related to emergencies, simply cannot be clearly captured, there is plenty of data available to determine exactly how much it costs to live in America’s biggest cities.
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GOBankingRates analyzed the 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas by population, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. For each, the cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces and using the national average expenditure costs for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 Consumer Expenditure Survey. The cities were sorted by population and ranked, then were sorted by expenditure’s annual total cost of living, as of June 4, 2024. Here’s a look at the cost of living around the U.S.
Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio
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Population total: 2,079,759
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,589
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Annual cost of healthcare: $4,891
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Annual cost of housing: $9,226
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,294
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Annual cost of transportation: $6,175
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $61,584
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Memphis, Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas
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Population total: 1,335,804
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,429
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,657
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Annual cost of housing: $9,241
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,390
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,725
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $62,825
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Oklahoma City
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Population total: 1,428,923
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,429
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,300
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Annual cost of housing: $8,762
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,481
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Annual cost of transportation: $6,815
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $63,554
St. Louis
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Population total: 2,813,523
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,481
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,645
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Annual cost of housing: $10,082
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,376
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,725
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $64,795
Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama
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Population total: 1,114,368
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,412
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Annual cost of healthcare: $7,137
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Annual cost of housing: $9,502
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,649
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,565
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $65,305
Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky-Indiana
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Population total: 1,282,588
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,526
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,470
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Annual cost of housing: $10,431
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,290
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Annual cost of transportation: $7,044
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $65,597
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Pittsburgh
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Population total: 2,365,501
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,612
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,277
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Annual cost of housing: $9,778
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,231
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,566
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $65,743
Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana
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Population total: 2,253,528
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,589
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,441
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Annual cost of housing: $11,069
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,458
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,725
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $66,108
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, New York
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Population total: 1,163,462
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,737
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,148
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Annual cost of housing: $10,677
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,704
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,780
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $67,057
Columbus, Ohio
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Population total: 2,137,223
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,617
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,294
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Annual cost of housing: $12,534
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,631
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,419
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $67,859
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Grand Rapids-Kentwood, Michigan
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Population total: 1,087,068
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,435
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Annual cost of healthcare: $4,791
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Annual cost of housing: $12,679
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,522
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,912
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $68,005
Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas
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Population total: 2,190,750
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,555
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,008
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Annual cost of housing: $12,316
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,594
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,273
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $68,224
San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas
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Population total: 2,570,862
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,2867
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,680
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Annual cost of housing: $11,910
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,394
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,149
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $68,370
Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wisconsin
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Population total: 1,568,940
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,560
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,622
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Annual cost of housing:$12,128
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,617
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,905
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $69,683
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Richmond, Virginia
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Population total: 1,316,145
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,617
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,797
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Annual cost of housing: $14,086
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,604
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,043
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $70,559
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan
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Population total: 4,375,604
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,463
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Annual cost of healthcare: $4,750
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Annual cost of housing: $10,721
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,444
-
Annual cost of transportation: $9,736
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $71,654
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina-South Carolina
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Population total: 2,668,688
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,543
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,856
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Annual cost of housing: $14,420
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,508
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,836
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $72,091
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Virginia-North Carolina
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Population total: 1,798,025
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,635
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,125
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Annual cost of housing: $13,854
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,449
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Annual cost of transportation: $6,878
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $72,310
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New Orleans-Metairie, Louisiana
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Population total: 1,264,357
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,515
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,137
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Annual cost of housing: $11,852
-
Annual cost of utilities: $3,908
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,845
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $72,310
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
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Population total: 7,142,603
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,595
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,610
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Annual cost of housing: $12,520
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,403
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,505
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $72,821
Jacksonville, Florida
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Population total: 1,613,587
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,720
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,885
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Annual cost of housing: $13,898
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,672
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,218
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $72,967
Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina
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Population total: 1,613,587
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,720
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,885
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Annual cost of housing: $13,898
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,672
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,218
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $72,967
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Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
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Population total: 3,194,310
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,988
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,944
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Annual cost of housing: $13,999
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,617
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,858
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $74,572
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin
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Population total: 9,566,955
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,543
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,353
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Annual cost of housing: $13,637
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,403
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,832
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $75,083
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
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Population total: 2,679,298
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,783
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,037
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Annual cost of housing: $14,623
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,676
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Annual cost of transportation: $7,886
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $75,448
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
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Population total: 7,673,379
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,646
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,844
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Annual cost of housing: $14,623
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,585
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,088
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $75,740
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Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minnesota-Wisconsin
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Population total: 3,678,328
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,760
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Annual cost of healthcare: $4,487
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Annual cost of housing: $16,944
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,476
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,587
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $76,980
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, Connecticut
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Population total: 1,215,703
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Annual cost of groceries: $6,068
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Annual cost of healthcare: $6,710
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Annual cost of housing: $13,709
-
Annual cost of utilities: $5,372
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,406
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $76,980
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia
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Population total: 6,094,752
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,543
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,832
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Annual cost of housing: $14,696
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Annual cost of utilities: $4,640
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,811
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $77,272
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee
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Population total: 1,990,873
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,674
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,914
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Annual cost of housing: $17,524
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,390
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,183
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $77,710
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Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland
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Population total: 6,232,894
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Annual cost of groceries: $6,017
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,914
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Annual cost of housing: $14,812
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,949
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,588
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $79,169
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Maryland
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Population total: 2,840,005
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,903
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Annual cost of healthcare: $4,949
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Annual cost of housing: $16,219
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,904
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,199
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $79,242
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
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Population total: 2,265,926
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,857
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,441
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Annual cost of housing: $17,539
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,613
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,727
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $81,504
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
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Population total: 4,864,209
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,583
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,446
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Annual cost of housing: $19,178
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,676
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,108
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $82,234
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Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island-Massachusetts
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Population total: 1,670,949
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Annual cost of groceries: $6,085
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,130
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Annual cost of housing: $19,468
-
Annual cost of utilities: $5,231
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,343
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $83,182
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
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Population total: 6,123,949
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Annual cost of groceries: $6,114
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Annual cost of healthcare: $5,955
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Annual cost of housing: $17,060
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,394
-
Annual cost of transportation: $9,624
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $83,766
Salt Lake City
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Population total: 1,254,675
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,406
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,920
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Annual cost of housing: $24,807
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,308
-
Annual cost of transportation: $6,808
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $87,706
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
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Population total: 2,296,377
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,435
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,985
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Annual cost of housing: $24,111
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,549
-
Annual cost of transportation: $7,900
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $89,676
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Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon-Washington
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Population total: 2,505,312
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,851
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,306
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Annual cost of housing: $24,894
-
Annual cost of utilities: $3,566
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,964
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $92,084
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California
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Population total: 4,610,050
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Annual cost of groceries: $5,629
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,171
-
Annual cost of housing: $23,632
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,990
-
Annual cost of transportation: $10,313
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $94,419
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado
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Population total: 4,610,050
-
Annual cost of groceries: $5,629
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,171
-
Annual cost of housing: $23,632
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,990
-
Annual cost of transportation: $10,313
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $94,419
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, California
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Population total: 2,394,673
-
Annual cost of groceries: $6,068
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $6,265
-
Annual cost of housing: $26,403
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,695
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,477
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $96,827
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Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
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Population total: 6,346,083
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Annual cost of groceries: $6,342
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,593
-
Annual cost of housing: $27,30
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,645
-
Annual cost of transportation: $9,332
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $100,330
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire
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Population total: 4,912,449
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Annual cost of groceries: $6,296
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,195
-
Annual cost of housing: $30,015
-
Annual cost of utilities: $5,195
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,804
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $103,759
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington
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Population total: 4,001,701
-
Annual cost of groceries: $5,960
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,142
-
Annual cost of housing: $33,337
-
Annual cost of utilities: $3,198
-
Annual cost of transportation: $9,777
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $107,480
New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania
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Population total: 19,908,595
-
Annual cost of groceries: $6,245
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $6,850
-
Annual cost of housing: $28,376
-
Annual cost of utilities: $5,700
-
Annual cost of transportation: $11,405
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $109,742
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San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
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Population total: 3,289,701
-
Annual cost of groceries: $6,250
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,207
-
Annual cost of housing: $38,661
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,776
-
Annual cost of transportation: $8,553
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $114,631
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
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Population total: 13,111,917
-
Annual cost of groceries: $5,954
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $5,259
-
Annual cost of housing: $39,952
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,403
-
Annual cost of transportation: $11,064
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $121,563
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California
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Population total: 4,692,242
-
Annual cost of groceries: $6,507
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $6,856
-
Annual cost of housing: $59,551
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,340
-
Annual cost of transportation: $10,702
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $155,712
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
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Population total: 1,981,584
-
Annual cost of groceries: $6,615
-
Annual cost of healthcare: $6,359
-
Annual cost of housing: $69,227
-
Annual cost of utilities: $4,322
-
Annual cost of transportation: $10,320
Annual cost of living (total expenditures): $167,970
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas by population as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. For each metro area, the cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces and using the national average expenditure costs for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 Consumer Expenditure Survey. The metro areas were sorted by population and ranked, then they were sorted by expenditure’s annual total cost of living to show the cost to live in America’s 50 largest metro areas. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 4, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Real Estate 2024: See the Cost of Living in America’s 50 Largest Metro Areas