Cost of Living Index by State (2026)
100
US national baseline (states scaled relative to this)
Summary
The US national cost of living index is set at 100 in 2026. Hawaii tops the list at 192 (92% above national average), followed by DC (158), Massachusetts (152), and California (148). The cheapest states are Mississippi (87), Oklahoma (88), Kansas (89), and Alabama (89). On a $100K salary, you'd need ~$192K in Hawaii or just $87K in Mississippi for equivalent purchasing power.
Breakdown
Source
Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER)· As of 2026-Q1
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All Pulsafi stats are sourced from primary government data and major financial institutions. Read the full methodology and data-sources page.