09/16/2026
If keeping your monthly costs manageable is a priority, Toledo and Laredo top this 2026 ranking, with living costs estimated at about 20% below the national average.
Affordability can look dramatically different depending on where you live. FinanceFirst’s 2026 ranking puts Toledo and Laredo at the top, followed by Lubbock, Fort Wayne and Memphis. The 25 cities on the list have cost-of-living indexes between 80 and 91, placing them below the national benchmark....