A household salary of $80,000 may be enough to live comfortably in just nine of the country’s 50 largest cities.
According to a September analysis by personal finance site GoBankingRates, a $90,000 salary can afford a comfortable lifestyle in only 17 of the largest U.S. cities.
Good news: If you’re thinking of moving, these 17 cities are relatively affordable.
The analysis compiles the annual costs of housing, transportation and other necessities in each of the 50 most populous cities, drawing from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Reserve and other sources. Then, double that number to determine the salary you need to live comfortably.
This formula follows the 50/30/20 rule, which states that you shouldn’t spend more than half of your after-tax income on “necessities.” The remaining 30% is supposed to go towards things you want, and 20% towards savings.
The analysis found that to live comfortably in San Francisco, a household needs an after-tax income of $251,398. Los Angeles requires a salary of $194,920. New York, $184,420.
The soaring cost of living in large cities is mainly due to soaring housing prices in urban areas.
Home sales prices rose by about two-fifths from 2020 to 2022, according to federal data. Since then, prices have zigzagged, but real estate values in many large cities remain significantly high. GoBankingRates’ research is based on mortgage costs, not rent.
“Housing costs are driving this,” said Rudri Patel, senior financial expert at GOBankingRates. “High demand and limited supply continue to plague many high-cost regions.”
Top 10 most expensive cities in America
Here are the top 10 most expensive cities in America, ranked by the salary you need to live comfortably. Spoiler alert: Some are sitting in California.
- San Jose, California. Comfortable salary: $264,946
- San Francisco. Comfortable salary: $251,398
- San Diego. Comfortable salary: $206,353
- Los Angeles. Comfortable salary: $194,920
- new york. Comfortable salary: $184,420
- Long Beach, California. Comfortable salary: $179,359
- Seattle. Comfortable salary: $178,520
- Boston. Comfortable salary: $169,155
- Oakland, California. Comfortable salary: $163,559
- Washington DC Comfortable Salary: $157,960
However, some of the fastest growing large cities in the country are much more affordable than Los Angeles or Boston.
Consider San Antonio. According to the U.S. Census, the Texas city gained 23,945 residents from July 2023 to July 2024, one of the largest numerical increases in the nation.
According to GoBankingRates, you only need an after-tax salary of $81,413 to live comfortably in San Antonio, making it one of the 10 most affordable large cities.
Neighboring Fort Worth added 23,442 residents from 2023 to 2024.
With a salary of $91,438, you can live comfortably in Fort Worth, making it one of the 20 most affordable large cities.
Here are some of the most affordable big cities
If you’re looking for affordability, here are 17 big cities where you need a salary of less than $90,000 to live comfortably.
Less than $70,000:
- Detroit. Comfortable salary: $65,733
- Memphis, Tennessee. Comfortable salary: $66,177
Less than $80,000:
- Wichita, Kansas. Comfortable salary: $74,307
- Baltimore. Comfortable salary: $76,200
- Oklahoma City. Comfortable salary: $76,350
- Tulsa, Oklahoma. Comfortable salary: $76,783
- El Paso, Texas. Comfortable salary: $77,115
- Indianapolis. Comfortable salary: $78,317
- Milwaukee. Comfortable salary: $78,392
Less than $90,000:
- San Antonio, Texas. Comfortable salary: $81,413
- Kansas City, Missouri. Comfortable salary: $81,637
- Louisville, Kentucky. Comfortable salary: $82,816
- Columbus, Ohio. Comfortable salary: $83,269
- Philadelphia. Comfortable salary: $86,763
- Houston. Comfortable salary: $87,359
- Omaha, Nebraska. Comfortable salary: $88,336
- Jacksonville, Florida. Comfortable salary: $89,876
