Single in the City? Here’s the Salary You Need To Live Comfortably in 100 Major US Cities

A comfortable living may look different for everyone, but it typically means you can cover your basic expenditures and still have enough money for leisure, savings and even investing opportunities.

This is easier for couples who often have two incomes, but when you’re a single person, the salary you need to live comfortably may actually have to be higher. Where you live also plays a role. For instance, you can get by on less than $65,000 in St. Louis, Missouri, but in many California cities, you need between $100,000 and $200,000 just to live comfortably.

To find out the salary that singles need to live comfortably in 100 major U.S. cities, GOBankingRates sourced data on population, total households and median household income, from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. GOBankingRates then sought out the cost of living index from Sperlings BestPlaces, the livability index from AreaVibes and the average single-family home value from December 2024 sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index. 

Following the 50/30/20 rule that states rent should be no more than 50% of your income, the cost of living was doubled to find the salary needed to afford a comfortable living in each city.

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $291,586 
• Median household income: $129,647
• Average monthly cost of living: $12,149 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $277,753
• Median household income: $176,350
• Average monthly cost of living: $11,573

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $262,265
• Median household income: $141,565
• Average monthly cost of living: $10,928

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $241,107 
• Median household income: $141,446
• Average monthly cost of living: $10,046 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $234,876
• Median household income: $85,428
• Average monthly cost of living: $9,786

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $200,416 
• Median household income: $104,321
• Average monthly cost of living: $8,351

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $186,390
• Median household income: $140,160
• Average monthly cost of living: $7,766 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $186,176
• Median household income: $80,366
• Average monthly cost of living: $7,757

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $173,571
• Median household income: $90,583
• Average monthly cost of living: $7,232

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $170,902
• Median household income: $121,984
• Average monthly cost of living: $7,121

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $168,923
• Median household income: $83,969
• Average monthly cost of living: $7,038

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $168,627
• Median household income: $107,372 
• Average monthly cost of living: $7,026

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $166,627
• Median household income: $105,173
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,943

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $165,655 
• Median household income: $79,713
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,902

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $164,001
• Median household income: $88,354
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,833

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $159,498 
• Median household income: $119,926
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,646 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $156,809 
• Median household income: $97,369
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,534

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $155,424
• Median household income: $94,755
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,476

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $144,173 
• Median household income: $106,287
• Average monthly cost of living: $6,007

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $134,905
• Median household income: $94,813
• Average monthly cost of living: $5,621 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $134,493
• Median household income: $59,390
• Average monthly cost of living: $5,604

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $132,628
• Median household income: $88,575 
• Average monthly cost of living: $5,526

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $120,435
• Median household income: $91,681
• Average monthly cost of living: $5,018

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $119,216
• Median household income: $121,351
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,967

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $115,789
• Median household income: $88,792
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,825

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $114,894
• Median household income: $78,448
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,787

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $113,954
• Median household income: $93,980
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,748

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $113,852
• Median household income: $91,461
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,744

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $113,125
• Median household income: $103,691 
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,714 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $111,581
• Median household income: $48,416
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,649

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $109,803
• Median household income: $88,654
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,575

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $108,665
• Median household income: $108,649
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,528 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $108,484
• Median household income: $83,753
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,520

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $108,246
• Median household income: $84,320
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,510

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $102,705
• Median household income: $81,308
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,279

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $102,507
• Median household income: $70,723
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,271

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $102,186
• Median household income: $76,851
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,258 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $101,257
• Median household income: $98,152
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,219

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $100,379
• Median household income: $81,938
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,182

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $100,155
• Median household income: $78,779
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,173 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $99,041
• Median household income: $83,198
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,127 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $98,528
• Median household income: $75,197
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,105

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $97,825
• Median household income: $82,484
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,076

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $97,366
• Median household income: $77,041
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,057 

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $97,221
• Median household income: $76,772
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,051

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $96,357
• Median household income: $70,139
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,015

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $96,097
• Median household income: $90,685
• Average monthly cost of living: $4,004

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $95,530
• Median household income: $94,189
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,980

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $95,416
• Median household income: $69,268
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,976

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $95,381
• Median household income: $76,983
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,974

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $92,708
• Median household income: $71,302
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,863

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $92,618
• Median household income: $77,397
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,859

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $92,612
• Median household income: $78,438
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,859

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $92,360 
• Median household income: $66,804
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,848

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $92,316
• Median household income: $73,118
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,846

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $91,482
• Median household income: $79,234
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,812

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $87,081
• Median household income: $65,745
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,628

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $86,378
• Median household income: $79,641
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,599

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $83,202
• Median household income: $80,269
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,467

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $82,935
• Median household income: $67,760
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,456

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $82,184
• Median household income: $75,134
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,424

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $82,144
• Median household income: $73,519
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,423

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $81,612
• Median household income: $54,546
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,401

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $80,086
• Median household income: $65,604
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,337

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $79,924
• Median household income: $76,602
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,324

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $79,771
• Median household income: $76,602
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,324

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $78,827
• Median household income: $66,981
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,284

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $77,554
• Median household income: $67,631
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,231

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $76,746
• Median household income: $64,017
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,198

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $76,107
• Median household income: $73,055
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,171

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $75,811
• Median household income: $69,991
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,159

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $75,623
• Median household income: $62,894
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,151

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $75,140
• Median household income: $72,708
• Average monthly cost of living: $3,131

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $71,430
• Median household income: $60,698
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,976

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $70,803
• Median household income: $65,327
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,950

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $70,420
• Median household income: $62,917
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,934

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $70,219
• Median household income: $55,339
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,926

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $70,064
• Median household income: $58,884
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,919

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $69,869
• Median household income: $64,731
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,911

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $69,506
• Median household income: $48,050
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,896

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $69,358
• Median household income: $57,673
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,890

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $68,265
• Median household income: $51,707
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,844

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $68,181
• Median household income: $67,449
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,841

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $67,957
• Median household income: $64,137
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,832

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $66,118
• Median household income: $62,995
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,755

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $65,547
• Median household income: $58,734
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,731

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $64,767
• Median household income: $60,293
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,699

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $64,566
• Median household income: $66,325
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,690

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $64,127
• Median household income: $51,888
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,672

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $63,996
• Median household income: $63,264
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,667

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $63,698
• Median household income: $66,702
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,654

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $63,547
• Median household income: $58,407
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,648

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $63,132
• Median household income: $59,623
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,630

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $62,231
• Median household income: $60,487
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,593

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $62,101
• Median household income: $63,072
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,588

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $58,829
• Median household income: $55,279
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,451

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $54,379
• Median household income: $51,211
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,266

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $50,519
• Median household income: $39,575
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,105

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $49,425
• Median household income: $47,532
• Average monthly cost of living: $2,059

• Salary needed to live comfortably: $47,874
• Median household income:  $39,187
• Average monthly cost of living: $1,995

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the top 100 American cities in terms of population, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The total households and median household income were found from the same source. For each city on the list, GOBankingRates found cost of living, sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces; livability index, sourced from AreaVibes, and the average single-family home value from December 2024, sourced from Zillow Home Value Index. Using the cost of living and average expenditure costs, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for single residents, the average expenditure costs were calculated for each city. Using the average home value and using the national 30-year mortgage, sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, while assuming a 10% down payment, the average mortgage cost was calculated. Adding the average mortgage and the average expenditure costs gives the average total cost of living for each city. Following the 50/30/20 rule that states that needs should be no more than 50% of your income, the cost of living was doubled to find the salary needed to afford a comfortable living in each city. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Feb. 5, 2025.