The cost of living varies wildly in some of the biggest cities across the USA, and can even fluctuate significantly within a single state.

City salaries are typically adjusted by about 23% (according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) to help workers cover basic expenses. However, plenty more income is needed if employees want to pay off debt, set aside savings, or splurge on something non-essential – expenses deemed necessary for a 'comfortable' existence.

To get an idea of the cost of living challenge facing millions of Americans today, we’ve used data from SmartAsset to rank America's 20 biggest cities by population from least to most expensive, based on the amount of money a family of four needs to live comfortably.

Population data is based on 2023 US Census Bureau estimates and is limited to cities rather than counties or metropolitan areas.

As part of its data collection, SmartAsset analyzed 100 US cities ranging in size and location. Of the locations assessed, San Antonio ranks among the lowest for pre-tax income needed for a family of two working adults and two children to live comfortably, at $199,181. That’s just slightly less than the median of $200,000.

Single adults will need a salary of at least $86,694. However, the median household income in the city is just $62,322, meaning most people, whether single or coupled up, don't have the funds to cover non-essentials, pay off debt, and save for the future.

Staying in Texas, two working parents in Houston need a combined income of at least $206,669 pre-tax to support a family of four comfortably.

That’s slightly more than what's needed in its western neighbor, San Antonio – and Numbeo reports that Houston residents do pay more for consumer products, especially for meals at restaurants, childcare, and clothing.

Despite being one of the top 20 American cities by population size, the cost of living in Oklahoma City is actually 15% lower than the national average. Housing is also 33% cheaper, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research.

To live comfortably, a single adult needs to make around $85,500 per year, which is the second lowest among all 100 cities studied by SmartAsset. However, a family of four will still need a combined salary of $211,494 to get by, while census data shows the city’s median household income in 2023 was just $66,702.

A family of four needs the same annual income of at least $211,494 to live comfortably in Florida’s largest city, Jacksonville. Single adults will need to earn a salary of $93,558 – around $8,000 more than in Oklahoma City.

While Florida cities like Orlando and Miami are smaller in population, they actually require higher incomes of around $207,501 and $223,142 respectively for residents to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

By contrast, Jacksonville residents typically enjoy a lower cost of living when it comes to housing and grocery shopping, according to Numbeo.

A family of four needs $213,741 to live comfortably in Dallas, making it one of the most expensive cities in the Lone Star State.

Meanwhile, singletons need to earn $95,930 a year to get by comfortably. The reality is very different, with the local median household income for Dallas estimated at just $70,121.

Although its population is slightly smaller than that of neighboring metropolitan city Dallas, the cost of living comfortably for a family of four is steeper in Fort Worth, at $217,235.

This is further reflected in the median household income of each city, with Fort Worth families typically taking home $77,082 compared to just $70,121 a year in Dallas.

However, neither of those figures is anywhere near what’s needed to cover expenses, pay off debt, and invest in the future.

SmartAsset suggests that a family of four in Indianapolis needs to bring in a combined pre-tax salary of $222,726 for comfortable living. The median household income is a fraction of that, at just $66,629.

For single adults in the city, an hourly wage of $40.96 is required to live comfortably. While this is doable for the city’s doctors, lawyers, and management professionals, the overall local average was about $30 per hour in 2023.

Once nicknamed the nation’s "Second City" due to its population size (among other much-speculated reasons), Chicago lost its second-largest-population crown to Los Angeles around 40 years ago.

Despite that, money stretches much further in Chicago than in other densely populated cities: a four-person household can get by comfortably on $232,378

That said, moving to the Windy City won't exactly come cheap. The cost of living in Chicago is 24% higher than the state average, with housing a massive 76% more expensive. Single adults need to earn at least $101,587 a year to live comfortably, although the local median household income is about $10,000 short at $91,501.

Five of America's largest cities are in Texas. Of these, Austin requires the highest household income to support a family of four comfortably – $233,376 compared to San Antonio's $199,181. Meanwhile, single adults in Austin need to earn around $15,000 more a year than their counterparts in San Antonio.

From housing to groceries and even private school tuition, everything is more expensive in Texas’s capital city.

A household of four needs an annual income of at least $236,371 to live comfortably in Ohio’s largest city, while a single adult needs an annual salary of at least $92,518.

The cost of living in Ohio is considerably lower than the nationwide average, with World Population Review ranking it as the 32nd most expensive state. However, when compared to other Buckeye State cities, Columbus residents pay more for housing and groceries. Consumer prices are 19% higher than those in Cincinnati and 20% more than in Toledo.

Charlotte is the biggest city in North Carolina, and it takes an annual household income of $244,192 to live comfortably here as a family of four. However, it's not the most expensive place to live in the state; that's actually Raleigh where you'll need to earn at least $2,000 more per year.

Unfortunately, Charolette's single adults don't fare as well, requiring a higher income at $110,614 (compared to Raleigh's $110,573) with local median household income falling short at only $80,581. 

Surprisingly, the cost of living in Arizona’s capital city is slightly lower than the statewide average. Housing, healthcare, and goods and services are all more affordable here than they are elsewhere in the Grand Canyon State.

When it comes to the metro region, though, this can vary. The income required to live comfortably and support a family of four in Phoenix is $247,853 before tax, and this is the same amount for many of the surrounding suburbs.

For single adults, there’s really no difference – taking home at least $107,037 a year is sufficient for a comfortable lifestyle across the board.

To live comfortably while supporting a family of four in Philadelphia, households need to earn nearly $20,000 more per year compared to the next largest city, Pittsburgh. That's no surprise considering housing costs are nearly 20% higher compared to the state average, and most other necessities cost more in the City of Brotherly Love, too. 

Making $96,762 a year, a single adult can live comfortably in Philly and that's not too different from the $94,682 needed to do the same in Pittsburgh.

Unfortunately, the median household income in Pittsburgh doesn't stretch that far at $66,219. Even worse, in more expensive Philadelphia it's only $60,302. 

As a state, California has one of the highest cost of living rates across the nation – and that’s certainly reflected in its largest city. A family of four needs an annual pre-tax income of at least $276,556 to live comfortably in Los Angeles, while a single adult needs to earn $115,690.

Several cities in the state are too small in population to make our top 20, but still require serious money. Among them are LA's neighboring communities of Long Beach, Anaheim, and Santa Ana, where a single adult needs to earn around $133,952 annually to live comfortably.  

Denver requires a family of four to make at least $292,947 a year to live comfortably. Housing is driving much of the heightened cost of living; these costs are 30% more expensive than the national average.

For single adults, earning at least $52.40 an hour is sufficient to live comfortably. In reality, however, the median hourly pay for Denver was just $36.50 in 2023. Even healthcare practitioners, who typically make $50.09 an hour, aren't immune from feeling the pinch.

It’s a similar story in San Diego, where the average earnings aren’t anywhere near what’s needed to live comfortably. The median household income is a seemingly high $105,780, but SmartAsset estimates more than double that figure is required to support a family of four comfortably, at $297,190. 

The hourly wage for single adults to live comfortably is $61.42, which isn’t an issue for the city’s management professionals and lawyers. However, the city average is $36.54 per hour, while workers in the food service and farming industries typically make less than $20 an hour.

The median household income in the state of New York is $76,577, which is not too far off the national average of $80,610. However, for those living in New York City, paychecks need to be substantially larger to support a family of four comfortably, with SmartAsset estimating a whopping $306,093 is currently required.

Singles in NYC are no better off; in fact, they need the second-highest salaries in the whole country, at $136,656 or $65.70 per hour. And the news gets worse, as the Big Apple's average pre-tax salary is only $99,221 a year. 

This means even the likes of doctors, tech workers and engineers are less likely to earn enough to live comfortably, while teachers, social workers, and service industry workers will all struggle.

In case you were wondering, relocating to the Pacific Northwest won’t make your life any cheaper.

In Seattle, the cost of living is 24% higher than the Washington state average and 45% higher than the nationwide equivalent. Housing expenses are a big driving force behind this; housing in Seattle is 64% higher than the state average and 112% more expensive than the national figure.

While the median household income in the city is $120,608, significantly higher than the national average of $80,610, it won't go far in Seattle. To support a family of four, households need an annual income of at least $327,475. Meanwhile, a single adult needs to earn $128,211 a year to live comfortably.

The top two cities on our list are both in the Bay Area. In San Francisco, households need a combined income of $366,829 to live comfortably, while a single adult can do the same while earning $121,930 a year.

​While the tech industry ensures many people in the region have ample take-home earnings, this isn’t the case for everyone, with the city's median household income coming in at $126,730.

While that's undeniably a significant amount of money for many Americans, it’s not nearly enough to cover expenses, pay off debt, and invest in the future for those living in San Francisco.

If the cost of living in San Francisco sounds steep, you’ll need to add another $5,000 per year to your salary to move south. The highest household income needed to live comfortably as a family of four in America can be found in San Jose, California, at $371,571. This is more than $100,000 higher than the national median combined income of $200,000, according to SmartAsset.

Single adults will need to earn $147,430 year, which is roughly $71.00 per hour. For certain industries, that’s achievable – think tech, management, architecture and engineering, law, and medicine. But for others it's a pipe dream, as the city's typical hourly wage was just $54.68 in 2023. While this figure is enough for a single adult to live comfortably in most of the cities on this list, it won't quite cut it in the Bay Area!

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