What is the cheapest state to live in?
The cheapest US states by cost of living (2026) are: Mississippi (87 index), Oklahoma (88), Kansas (89), Alabama (89), West Virginia (90), Arkansas (90). Compare to the most expensive: Hawaii (192), DC (158), Massachusetts (152), California (148), New York (148).
More context
The cheapest US states by cost of living (2026) are: Mississippi (87 index), Oklahoma (88), Kansas (89), Alabama (89), West Virginia (90), Arkansas (90). Compare to the most expensive: Hawaii (192), DC (158), Massachusetts (152), California (148), New York (148). The exact answer depends on your specific situation — the numbers above are a strong starting point, but the right next step is to plug in your actual figures.
For a deeper analysis, use one of the related tools below — they take your specific income, debt, location, and goals as inputs and produce a tailored answer.