Cost of living by state
Thinking of moving? Pick two states and a salary to see what you would keep each month after taxes and the basics: rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Every number comes from an official or published source.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
What $75,000 leaves you each month, by state
| # | State | Take-home a month | Basics a month | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $5,133 | $2,037 | $3,096 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $5,116 | $2,041 | $3,075 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $5,133 | $2,115 | $3,017 |
| 4 | Iowa | $4,950 | $2,046 | $2,903 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $4,909 | $2,019 | $2,890 |
| 6 | Ohio | $5,026 | $2,192 | $2,834 |
| 7 | Arkansas | $4,907 | $2,082 | $2,824 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $4,944 | $2,142 | $2,801 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $4,924 | $2,143 | $2,780 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $4,936 | $2,172 | $2,764 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $5,133 | $2,370 | $2,763 |
| 12 | Indiana | $4,951 | $2,191 | $2,760 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $4,977 | $2,225 | $2,752 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $4,922 | $2,183 | $2,739 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $4,897 | $2,176 | $2,721 |
| 16 | Missouri | $4,917 | $2,210 | $2,707 |
| 17 | Kansas | $4,851 | $2,175 | $2,676 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $4,887 | $2,216 | $2,671 |
| 19 | Alabama | $4,842 | $2,204 | $2,638 |
| 20 | Montana | $4,893 | $2,269 | $2,624 |
| 21 | Alaska | $5,133 | $2,548 | $2,585 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $4,926 | $2,390 | $2,536 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $4,941 | $2,414 | $2,527 |
| 24 | Michigan | $4,888 | $2,375 | $2,513 |
| 25 | Vermont | $4,925 | $2,414 | $2,511 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $5,133 | $2,627 | $2,505 |
| 27 | Texas | $5,133 | $2,648 | $2,484 |
| 28 | Maine | $4,809 | $2,342 | $2,467 |
| 29 | Idaho | $4,894 | $2,448 | $2,446 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $4,835 | $2,408 | $2,427 |
| 31 | Illinois | $4,835 | $2,456 | $2,379 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $4,854 | $2,490 | $2,364 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $4,950 | $2,687 | $2,263 |
| 34 | Nevada | $5,133 | $2,940 | $2,192 |
| 35 | Utah | $4,851 | $2,672 | $2,180 |
| 36 | Arizona | $4,994 | $2,820 | $2,174 |
| 37 | Washington | $5,133 | $3,001 | $2,132 |
| 38 | Georgia | $4,860 | $2,729 | $2,132 |
| 39 | Florida | $5,133 | $3,023 | $2,109 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $4,851 | $2,762 | $2,090 |
| 41 | Delaware | $4,832 | $2,765 | $2,067 |
| 42 | New York | $4,845 | $2,835 | $2,010 |
| 43 | Virginia | $4,841 | $2,842 | $1,999 |
| 44 | Colorado | $4,917 | $2,975 | $1,942 |
| 45 | Oregon | $4,655 | $2,731 | $1,924 |
| 46 | New Jersey | $4,916 | $3,032 | $1,885 |
| 47 | Massachusetts | $4,839 | $2,972 | $1,866 |
| 48 | Maryland | $4,866 | $3,027 | $1,840 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $4,847 | $3,152 | $1,695 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $4,785 | $3,168 | $1,618 |
| 51 | California | $4,900 | $3,336 | $1,564 |
Single filer earning $75,000, 2026 taxes (IRS, SSA, Tax Foundation). Basics = median rent (Census ACS), average electricity bill (EIA), gas for 1,000 miles (AAA), full-coverage car insurance (Insurify), your share of a job-based health plan (KFF, U.S. average) and U.S. average groceries (BLS). Our calculation. Tap a state for its full budget.
Popular comparisons
Common questions
Which state has the lowest cost of living?
On a $75,000 salary, Wyoming leaves the most money each month after taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries: about $3,096 (our calculation). California leaves the least, about $1,564.
How is this calculated?
We take your salary after 2026 federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare, then subtract each state's median rent (Census), average electricity bill (EIA), gas for 1,000 miles (AAA), full-coverage car insurance (Insurify), your share of a job-based health plan (KFF, U.S. average) and U.S. average groceries (BLS). Everything links to its source.
What is not included?
A plan you buy yourself (tick it to use your state's Marketplace price), child care (unless you tick it), local taxes, sales tax, and differences in grocery prices between states, which official data does not publish by state. Use it to compare states, not as an exact budget.