Home / Salary Needed2026 city salary guide Salary Needed to Live Comfortably in U.S. Cities Compare the annual income a single person needs for rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, insurance, everyday spending, taxes, and a 10% savings target across 300 U.S. cities.
Median salary needed
$58,324
Lowest-cost city
San Juan
$42,646/yr
Highest-cost city
San Francisco
$111,314/yr
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Lowest Salary Needed 1. San Juan, PR $42,646 2. Flint, MI $45,488 3. Decatur, IL $45,713 4. St. Joseph, MO $45,806 5. Brownsville, TX $45,914 6. Jefferson City, MO $46,069 7. Terre Haute, IN $46,106 8. Hattiesburg, MS $46,486 9. Shreveport, LA $46,966 10. McAllen, TX $47,040 Highest Salary Needed 1. San Francisco, CA $111,314 2. Telluride, CO $110,114 3. Sunnyvale, CA $109,981 4. San Jose, CA $106,000 5. Aspen, CO $102,381 6. Irvine, CA $100,114 7. Cambridge, MA $96,426 8. Santa Barbara, CA $93,600 9. Santa Cruz, CA $92,838 10. Vail, CO $92,095 Salary Needed in Major U.S. Cities City Salary Needed Monthly Expenses Rent Rent Burden El Paso, TX $49,385 $2,675/mo $751/mo 24% Memphis, TN $49,772 $2,696/mo $827/mo 27% Oklahoma City, OK $50,400 $2,730/mo $791/mo 25% Detroit, MI $50,700 $2,704/mo $752/mo 24% Louisville, KY $51,120 $2,769/mo $804/mo 25% Milwaukee, WI $51,263 $2,734/mo $741/mo 23% Indianapolis, IN $52,275 $2,788/mo $808/mo 25% Kansas City, MO $53,100 $2,832/mo $867/mo 26% San Antonio, TX $53,668 $2,907/mo $927/mo 28% Albuquerque, NM $53,752 $2,822/mo $802/mo 25% Tucson, AZ $53,752 $2,822/mo $802/mo 25% Columbus, OH $54,619 $2,913/mo $906/mo 27% Houston, TX $55,662 $3,015/mo $953/mo 27% Jacksonville, FL $57,009 $3,088/mo $1,026/mo 29% Fort Worth, TX $57,046 $3,090/mo $1,056/mo 30% Dallas, TX $58,357 $3,161/mo $1,030/mo 28% Charlotte, NC $59,188 $3,206/mo $1,128/mo 30% Fresno, CA $60,343 $3,168/mo $995/mo 27% Chicago, IL $60,450 $3,224/mo $1,008/mo 27% Philadelphia, PA $60,465 $3,124/mo $978/mo 27% Nashville, TN $60,554 $3,280/mo $1,107/mo 29% Baltimore, MD $61,181 $3,161/mo $932/mo 25% Phoenix, AZ $62,190 $3,265/mo $1,107/mo 29% Mesa, AZ $62,190 $3,265/mo $1,134/mo 30% Las Vegas, NV $62,229 $3,267/mo $1,094/mo 29% Atlanta, GA $63,028 $3,414/mo $1,198/mo 30% Austin, TX $64,486 $3,493/mo $1,210/mo 30% Miami, FL $68,972 $3,736/mo $1,231/mo 29% Sacramento, CA $69,848 $3,667/mo $1,245/mo 29% Portland, OR $70,343 $3,693/mo $1,159/mo 27% Denver, CO $72,133 $3,787/mo $1,282/mo 29% Washington, DC $81,387 $4,205/mo $1,368/mo 28% Los Angeles, CA $83,524 $4,385/mo $1,353/mo 27% Boston, MA $84,000 $4,340/mo $1,503/mo 30% Seattle, WA $86,381 $4,535/mo $1,421/mo 27% San Diego, CA $86,990 $4,567/mo $1,619/mo 31% New York, NY $89,013 $4,599/mo $1,275/mo 24% San Jose, CA $106,000 $5,565/mo $1,868/mo 29% San Francisco, CA $111,314 $5,844/mo $1,733/mo 26%