The last few years have been more expensive for Americans than in decades due to severe inflation and ever-rising cost of living. People living on tighter budgets or more frugal lifestyles may be looking to move to other, cheaper states.
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Some states will let you spread your dollars more than others. Using data from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, GOBankingRates determined the cost-of-living index in each state compared to the overall national average. The study included costs associated with six categories: housing, utilities, groceries, healthcare, transportation and miscellaneous expenses.
Here’s the cost of living in all 50 states.
Also see the most livable city in every state.
Alabama
Average annual cost of living: $68,006
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 5
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 69.5
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 100
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Alaska
Average annual cost of living: $95,673
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 47
Lowest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 114.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 152.8
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Arizona
Average annual cost of living: $86,167
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 36
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 92.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 131.9
Arkansas
Average annual cost of living: $68,547
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 6
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 85.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Misc., 96.7
California
Average annual cost of living: $111,901
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 48
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 107.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 208.7
Colorado
Average annual cost of living: $78,826
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 32
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 89.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 107.7
Connecticut
Average annual cost of living: $86,785
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 40
Lowest cost-of-living index: Grocery, 102.6
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 135.9
Find Out: How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?
Delaware
Average annual cost of living: $77,898
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 5
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 97.4
Highest cost-of-living index: Misc., 102.9
Florida
Average annual cost of living: $79,444
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 34
Lowest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 98.8
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 108.1
Georgia
Average annual cost of living: $70,557
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 12
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 79.2
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 100.4
Hawaii
Average annual cost of living: $144,436
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 50
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 121.1
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 310
Idaho
Average annual cost of living: $78,826
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 33
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 77.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 109.6
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Illinois
Average annual cost of living: $72,952
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 21
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 83.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 103.4
Indiana
Average annual cost of living: $69,938
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 10
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 77.1
Highest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 98.7
Iowa
Average annual cost of living: $69,320
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 8
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 74.8
Highest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 97.6
Kansas
Average annual cost of living: $67,234
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 3
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 72.4
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 98.7
Kentucky
Average annual cost of living: $71,870
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 17
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 78.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 106.6
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Louisiana
Average annual cost of living: $71,252
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 14
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 78.5
Highest cost-of-living index: Misc., 99.4
Maine
Average annual cost of living: $86,631
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 38
Lowest cost-of-living index: Groceries, 101.5
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 128.7
Maryland
Average annual cost of living: $89,104
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 45
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 100.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 135.8
Massachusetts
Average annual cost of living: $112,752
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 49
Lowest cost-of-living index: Groceries, 104.4
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 218.8
Michigan
Average annual cost of living: $69,861
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 5
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 73.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 99.6
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Minnesota
Average annual cost of living: $73,493
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 23
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 80.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Groceries, 102.1
Mississippi
Average annual cost of living: $67,929
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 4
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 73.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 99.3
Missouri
Average annual cost of living: $68,547
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 7
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 77.8
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 98.8
Montana
Average annual cost of living: $73,338
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 22
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 83.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 109.7
Nebraska
Average annual cost of living: $71,948
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 18
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 80.0
Highest cost-of-living index: Misc., 100.6
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Nevada
Average annual cost of living: $78,285
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 31
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 87.1
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 103.9
New Hampshire
Average annual cost of living: $87,017
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 41
Lowest cost-of-living index: Groceries, 99.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 117.5
New Jersey
Average annual cost of living: $88,563
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 44
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 100.6
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 136.9
New Mexico
Average annual cost of living: $72,102
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 19
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 84.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 102.7
New York
Average annual cost of living: $95,286
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 46
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 99.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 168
Learn More: Here’s the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper-Middle Class in 2025
North Carolina
Average annual cost of living: $75,580
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 28
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 93.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 104.7
North Dakota
Average annual cost of living: $71,020
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 13
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 80.1
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 108.2
Ohio
Average annual cost of living: $72,798
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 20
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 85.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 99.3
Oklahoma
Average annual cost of living: $66,229
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 2
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 68.6
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 96.6
Oregon
Average annual cost of living: $86,554
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 37
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 89.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 133.3
Find Out: How Much You Need To Earn To Be Upper Middle Class in Every State
Pennsylvania
Average annual cost of living: $73,493
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 24
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 84.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 106
Rhode Island
Average annual cost of living: $86,708
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 39
Lowest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 96.3
Highest cost-of-living index: Misc., 114.2
South Carolina
Average annual cost of living: $74,112
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 26
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 86.7
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 102.3
South Dakota
Average annual cost of living: $71,252
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 15
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 83.5
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 101
Tennessee
Average annual cost of living: $69,938
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 11
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 83.2
Highest cost-of-living index: Groceries, 97.1
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Texas
Average annual cost of living: $71,639
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 16
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 82
Highest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 105.3
Utah
Average annual cost of living: $81,067
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 35
Lowest cost-of-living index: Health, 88.4
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 116.8
Vermont
Average annual cost of living: $88,408
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 43
Lowest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 95.8
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 129.7
Virginia
Average annual cost of living: $77,821
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 29
Lowest cost-of-living index: Transportation, 94.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 105
Washington
Average annual cost of living: $88,254
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 42
Lowest cost-of-living index: Utilities, 92.6
Highest cost-of-living index: Housing, 126.9
Read More: The Salary Needed To Afford America’s 50 Biggest Cities
West Virginia
Average annual cost of living: $64,992
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 1
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 59.9
Highest cost-of-living index: Groceries, 99
Wisconsin
Average annual cost of living: $74,962
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 27
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 91.6
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 106.4
Wyoming
Average annual cost of living: $73,802
U.S. rank (1 is cheapest): 25
Lowest cost-of-living index: Housing, 88.6
Highest cost-of-living index: Health, 104.3
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state by looking at the cost-of-living indexes, as sourced from the Missouri Economic and Research Information Center’s 2024 overall cost of living indexes. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey, GOBankingRates calculated average costs by looking at factors such as (1) total annual expenditures, (2) annual grocery (“food at home”) expenditures, (3) annual housing (“shelter”) expenditures, (4) annual utilities (“utilities, fuel and public services”) expenditures, (5) annual transportation (“Gasoline, other fuels and motor oil” + “other vehicle expenses”) expenditures, (6) annual healthcare expenditures and (7) annual miscellaneous expenditures. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Feb. 25, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s the Cost of Living in Every State
