25 Most Expensive Cities In The United States

Posted by , Updated on March 22, 2024

Living in American cities can come with a hefty price. From high-end rental costs, parking charges, to taxes, these all contribute to the high cost of city living that not many can entirely bear. Yet, some cities are overly pricey than others. Expatistan has compiled a list that might have a few surprises for you. While many of the locations might be expected, there could be some which you might not have anticipated. Here are the top 25 costliest cities in the United States.

25

San Jose, California

San Jose, CaliforniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Apartments will go for around $1,500 and dinner for you and your significant other can push $40.

24

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, MinnesotaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Probably not the first place you would think of when considering expensive living standards, Minneapolis isn’t at the top of the list but it’s still a bit on the pricey side.

23

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville, TennesseeSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Your rent can top $1,800 in some parts of the city.

22

Tampa, Florida

Tampa, FloridaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

You have to pay for the sun, although Tampa is roughly 30% cheaper than the notoriously expensive San Francisco.

21

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, MichiganSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

It may seem strange to include a struggling city like Detroit here, but according to indexes, monthly rent in a good area of town can run above $1,200.

20

Denver, Colorado

Denver, ColoradoSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

It’s the price of eating out that hurt Denver’s affordability index.

19

Dallas, Texas

Dallas, TexasSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Staying fit in this Texas metropolis will cost you about $60 a month for a gym membership.

18

Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore, MarylandSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Another city that isn’t often thought of as expensive, an apartment in a good part of the city can go for almost $2,000 per month.

17

Houston, Texas

Houston, TexasSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Apparently utilities are fairly expensive here. An average apartment can end up with a $200 a month utility bill.

16

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, GeorgiaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Rent in the state famous for its peaches hovers around $1,500 per month.

15

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

The cost of living here is roughly the same as in Atlanta but higher prices on transportation and clothing moved it past its sunnier counterpart.

14

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, IllinoisSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Rent in the Windy City averages nearly $1,800 per month.

13

San Diego, California

San Diego, CaliforniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

You’ll definitely pay over $2,000 per month for a good apartment in this city.

12

Portland, Oregon

Portland, OregonSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

One month of public transport here will cost you nearly $100.

11

Sacramento, California

Sacramento, CaliforniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Higher than average gas and food prices put this city on the list.

10

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, OklahomaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Furnished apartments in a good part of town will cost over $1,200 and utilities will be nearly $200 per month.

9

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, CaliforniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Monthly rent is the highest so far at $2,300 and food is over 20% more expensive here than in Chicago.

8

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo, New YorkSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

One reason this city made the list was apparently due to the high cost of eating out.

7

Seattle, Washington

Seattle, WashingtonSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

An average apartment will go for about $2,100 per month in this northwestern city.

6

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Known for its cheesesteaks, cheese (along with other foods) here is actually more expensive than elsewhere.

5

Boston, Massachusettes

Boston, MassachusettesSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

The housing in Boston is roughly 35% higher than in Philadelphia.

4

Washington D.C.

Washington D.C.Source: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

A monthly ticket for public transportation costs $130

3

Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu, HawaiiSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Due to its isolation and small geographical area, food and land prices are relatively high.

2

San Francisco, California

San Francisco, CaliforniaSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

San Francisco is more expensive than Sydney and Hong Kong, both of which are not known for being cheap.

1

New York City, New York

New York City, New YorkSource: wikipedia, expatistan, Image: wikipedia

Perhaps not surprisingly the Big Apple comes in at number 1. Monthly rent is easily higher than $4,000.