How the Cost of Living Compares in 25 Major Cities and Their Top Suburbs

Conventional wisdom suggests that city living is pricier than the suburban life — but the reality might suggest otherwise. Popular — and notably expensive — U.S. cities such as Boston and San Francisco actually have a lower cost of living than some of their surrounding suburbs. A new original research study from GOBankingRates has identified 15 cities, out of 25 major metropolitan areas, that have lower annual cost of living than nearby suburbs with high livability scores. 

GOBankingRates studied the U.S. Census 2023 5-Year American Community Survey (ACS) to find the 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas and the difference in cost of living from the most popular major city to the best three suburbs in the area. Qualifying suburbs have at least 5,000 households and are within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) but are not named in the MSA as a principal city. The “best” suburbs were also identified as those with the highest livability index scores, as sourced from AreaVibes. 

• 15 out of 25 major metropolitan areas have lower cost of living than their three surrounding suburbs with high livability scores. These cities are Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Boston, San Francisco, Detroit, Minneapolis, Denver, Baltimore, St. Louis, Orlando, Charlotte and San Antonio.
• Only four major cities were identified as having six-figure median household incomes: Washington, D.C. ($106,287), San Francisco ($141,446), Seattle ($121,984) and San Diego ($104,321).
• There are five suburbs where median household incomes amount to more than $200,000. Ranked from most to least annual income, they are Bellaire, Texas ($236,311); Lexington, Massachusetts ($219,402); Winchester, Massachusetts ($218,176); Ridgewood, New Jersey ($217,250); and Mill Valley, California ($208,466).
• Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Bellaire, Texas, emerged with six figures’ worth of leftover savings from their respective median incomes. While both suburbs boast median household incomes of more than $200,000, the leftover savings amounts to $110,334 in Ridgewood and $135,663 in Bellaire.
• Three suburbs cost at least $40,000 more than the median salary. The median earner is in the red by $51,450 in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida; by $48,711 in Larkspur, California; and by $40,449 in Solana Beach, California.

Keep reading for the cost difference between major cities and suburbs in these 25 popular locales. And don’t forget to review the nation’s 50 wealthiest suburbs in 2025.

• Median household income: $79,713
• Total cost of living annually: $91,414
• Livability: 75
• Shortfall from median income: $11,701

Fort Lee, New Jersey

• Median household income: $105,535
• Total cost of living annually: $92,279
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $13,256

Ridgewood, New Jersey

• Median household income: $217,250
• Total cost of living annually: $106,916
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $110,334

Highland Park, New Jersey

• Median household income: $101,991
• Total cost of living annually: $67,129
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $34,862

• Median household income: $80,366
• Total cost of living annually: $95,457
• Livability: 67
• Shortfall from median income: $15,091

South Pasadena, California 

• Median household income: $128,105
• Total cost of living annually: $146,893
• Livability: 82
• Shortfall from median income: $18,788

Redondo Beach, California

• Median household income: $144,588
• Total cost of living annually: $132,804
• Livability: 79
• Leftover savings from median income: $11,784

Aliso Viejo, California

• Median household income: $137,970
• Total cost of living annually:  $111,003
• Livability: 79
• Leftover savings from median income: $26,967

• Median household income: $75,134
• Total cost of living annually: $46,752
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $28,382

Brookfield, Illinois

• Median household income: $108,429
• Total cost of living annually: $48,128
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $60,301

Libertyville, Illinois

• Median household income: $162,270
• Total cost of living annually: $66,030
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $96,240

La Grange, Illinois

• Median household income: $154,556
• Total cost of living annually: $72,714
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $81,842

• Median household income: $67,760
• Total cost of living annually: $46,731
• Livability: 81
• Leftover savings from median income: $21,029

Denton, Texas

• Median household income: $73,719
• Total cost of living annually: $47,209
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $26,510

Richardson, Texas

• Median household income: $96,257
• Total cost of living annually: $54,753
• Livability: 84
• Leftover savings from median income: $41,504

Plano, Texas

• Median household income: $108,649
• Total cost of living annually: $57,531
• Livability: 83
• Leftover savings from median income: $51,118

• Median household income: $62,894
• Total cost of living annually: $43,127
• Livability: 74
• Leftover savings from median income: $19,767

Pearland, Texas

• Median household income: $112,470
• Total cost of living annually: $50,657
• Livability: 81
• Leftover savings from median income: $61,813

Bellaire, Texas 

• Median household income: $236,311
• Total cost of living annually: $100,648
• Livability: 81
• Leftover savings from median income: $135,663

Lake Jackson, Texas

• Median household income: $89,623
• Total cost of living annually: $40,169
• Livability: 79
• Leftover savings from median income: $49,454

• Median household income: $106,287
• Total cost of living annually:  $77,133
• Livability: 75
• Leftover savings from median income: $29,154

Springfield, Virginia

• Median household income: $123,691
• Total cost of living annually: $74,465
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $49,226

Reston, Virginia

• Median household income: $139,515
• Total cost of living annually: $79,275
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $60,240

Falls Church, Virginia

• Median household income: $154,734
• Total cost of living annually: $87,921
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $66,813

• Median household income: $60,698
• Total cost of living annually: $42,844
• Livability: 76
• Leftover savings from median income: $17,854

Ardmore, Pennsylvania 

• Median household income: $115,273
• Total cost of living annually: $60,130
• Livability: 93
• Leftover savings from median income: $55,143

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

• Median household income: $94,411
• Total cost of living annually: $61,342
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $33,069

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

• Median household income: $111,600
• Total cost of living annually: $58,509
• Livability: 87
• Leftover savings from median income: $53,091

• Median household income: $81,938
• Total cost of living annually: $55,265
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $26,673

Decatur, Georgia

• Median household income: $140,480
• Total cost of living annually: $45,161
• Livability: 87
• Leftover savings from median income: $95,319

Lawrenceville, Georgia

• Median household income: $58,606
• Total cost of living annually: $49,718
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $8,888

Marietta, Georgia

• Median household income: $70,086
• Total cost of living annually: $58,396
• Livability: 82
• Leftover savings from median income: $11,690

• Median household income: $59,390
• Total cost of living annually: $71,243
• Livability: 81
• Shortfall from median income: $11,853

Wilton Manors, Florida

• Median household income: $79,390
• Total cost of living annually: $73,163
• Livability: 91
• Leftover savings from median income: $6,227

West Palm Beach, Florida 

• Median household income: $69,261
• Total cost of living annually: $57,120
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $12,141

Sunny Isles Beach, Florida

• Median household income: $59,124
• Total cost of living annually: $110,574
• Livability: 85
• Shortfall from median income: $51,450

• Median household income: $77,041
• Total cost of living annually: $52,951
• Livability: 76
• Leftover savings from median income: $24,090

Gilbert, Arizona 

• Median household income: $121,351
• Total cost of living annually: $63,242
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $58,109

Scottsdale, Arizona

• Median household income: $107,372
• Total cost of living annually: $87,476
• Livability: 82
• Leftover savings from median income: $19,896

Tempe, Arizona

• Median household income: $77,643
• Total cost of living annually: $56,604
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $21,039

• Median household income: $94,755
• Total cost of living annually: $82,289
• Livability: 77
• Leftover savings from median income: $12,466

Lexington, Massachusetts

• Median household income: $219,402
• Total cost of living annually: $134,527
• Livability: 92
• Leftover savings from median income: $84,875

Winchester, Massachusetts

• Median household income: $218,176
• Total cost of living annually: $136,169
• Livability: 91
• Leftover savings from median income: $82,007

Melrose, Massachusetts

• Median household income: $126,854
• Total cost of living annually: $87,507
• Livability: 90
• Leftover savings from median income: $39,347

• Median household income: $141,446
• Total cost of living annually: $123,842
• Livability: 75
• Leftover savings from median income: $17,604

San Ramon, California

• Median household income: $197,358
• Total cost of living annually: $138,164
• Livability: 87
• Leftover savings from median income: $59,194

Mill Valley, California

• Median household income: $208,466
• Total cost of living annually: $165,206
• Livability: 87
• Leftover savings from median income: $43,260

Larkspur, California

• Median household income: $134,744
• Total cost of living annually: $183,455
• Livability: 86
• Shortfall from median income: $48,711

• Median household income: $88,575
• Total cost of living annually: $70,206
• Livability: 67
• Leftover savings from median income: $18,369

Redlands, California

• Median household income: $99,158
• Total cost of living annually: $66,893
• Livability: 75
• Leftover savings from median income: $32,265

Upland, California

• Median household income: $101,407
• Total cost of living annually: $81,511
• Livability: 73
• Leftover savings from median income: $19,896

Temecula, California

• Median household income: $117,840
• Total cost of living annually: $78,682
• Livability: 71
• Leftover savings from median income: $39,158

• Median household income: $39,575
• Total cost of living annually: $32,522
• Livability: 73
• Leftover savings from median income: $7,053

Clawson, Michigan

• Median household income: $86,630
• Total cost of living annually: $43,020
• Livability: 92
• Leftover savings from median income: $43,610

Berkley, Michigan 

• Median household income: $113,103
• Total cost of living annually: $44,807
• Livability: 91
• Leftover savings from median income: $68,296

Farmington, Michigan

• Median household income: $94,115
• Total cost of living annually: $47,038
• Livability: 91
• Leftover savings from median income: $47,077

• Median household income: $121,984
• Total cost of living annually: $86,890
• Livability: 75
• Leftover savings from median income: $35,094

Redmond, Washington

• Median household income: $162,099
• Total cost of living annually: $124,988
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $37,111

Issaquah, Washington

• Median household income: $153,786
• Total cost of living annually: $114,611
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $39,175

Enumclaw, Washington

• Median household income: $116,563
• Total cost of living annually: $70,886
• Livability: 88
• Leftover savings from median income: $45,677

• Median household income: $80,269
• Total cost of living annually: $47,132
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $33,137

Shakopee, Minnesota

• Median household income: $110,989
• Total cost of living annually: $50,181
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $60,808

Rosemount, Minnesota

• Median household income: $127,247
• Total cost of living annually: $52,968
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $74,279

Champlin, Minnesota

• Median household income: $115,719
• Total cost of living annually: $48,797
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $66,922

• Median household income: $104,321
• Total cost of living annually: $100,888
• Livability: 75
• Leftover savings from median income: $3,433

Encinitas, California

• Median household income: $150,471
• Total cost of living annually: $157,665
• Livability: 79
• Shortfall from median income: $7,194

San Marcos, California

• Median household income: $105,286
• Total cost of living annually: $92,605
• Livability: 77
• Leftover savings from median income: $12,681

Solana Beach, California

• Median household income: $150,820
• Total cost of living annually: $191,269
• Livability: 76
• Shortfall from median income: $40,449

• Median household income: $71,302
• Total cost of living annually: $51,212
• Livability: 80
• Leftover savings from median income: $20,090

Seminole, Florida

• Median household income: $77,335
• Total cost of living annually: $53,095
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $24,240

Safety Harbor, Florida

• Median household income: $105,813
• Total cost of living annually: $60,397
• Livability: 87
• Leftover savings from median income: $45,416

Brandon, Florida

• Median household income: $77,068
• Total cost of living annually: $49,496
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $27,572

• Median household income: $91,681
• Total cost of living annually: $63,344
• Livability: 72
• Leftover savings from median income: $28,337

Arvada, Colorado

• Median household income: $113,396
• Total cost of living annually: $66,141
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $47,255

Broomfield, Colorado

• Median household income: $121,025
• Total cost of living annually: $67,959
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $53,066

Parker, Colorado

• Median household income: $129,342
• Total cost of living annually: $71,012
• Livability: 83
• Leftover savings from median income: $58,330

• Median household income: $59,623
• Total cost of living annually: $37,770
• Livability: 77
• Leftover savings from median income: $21,853

Perry Hall, Maryland 

• Median household income: $104,709
• Total cost of living annually: $57,290
• Livability: 86
• Leftover savings from median income: $47,419

Dundalk, Maryland

• Median household income: $62,349
• Total cost of living annually: $39,897
• Livability: 85
• Leftover savings from median income: $22,452

Rosedale, Maryland

• Median household income: $83,957
• Total cost of living annually: $46,365
• Livability: 81
• Leftover savings from median income: $37,592

• Median household income: $55,279
• Total cost of living annually: $35,492
• Livability: 74
• Leftover savings from median income: $19,787

Edwardsville, Illinois

• Median household income: $92,671
• Total cost of living annually: $45,034
• Livability: 90
• Leftover savings from median income: $47,637

Ballwin, Missouri

• Median household income: $121,170
• Total cost of living annually: $51,679
• Livability: 86
• Leftover savings from median income: $69,491

Clayton, Missouri

• Median household income: $128,898
• Total cost of living annually: $97,357
• Livability: 84
• Leftover savings from median income: $31,541

• Median household income: $69,268
• Total cost of living annually: $52,220
• Livability: 81
• Leftover savings from median income: $17,048

Doctor Phillips, Florida

• Median household income: $101,540
• Total cost of living annually: $63,310
• Livability: 89
• Leftover savings from median income: $38,230

Winter Park, Florida

• Median household income: $98,076
• Total cost of living annually: $58,611
• Livability: 84
• Leftover savings from median income: $39,465

Winter Garden, Florida

• Median household income: $106,371
• Total cost of living annually: $64,588
• Livability: 83
• Leftover savings from median income: $41,783

• Median household income: $78,438
• Total cost of living annually: $50,957
• Livability: 80
• Leftover savings from median income: $27,481

Matthews, North Carolina

• Median household income: $105,579
• Total cost of living annually: $57,805
• Livability: 83
• Leftover savings from median income: $47,774

Harrisburg, North Carolina

• Median household income: $143,393
• Total cost of living annually: $56,521
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $86,872

Fort Mill, South Carolina

• Median household income: $127,537
• Total cost of living annually: $59,578
• Livability: 76
• Leftover savings from median income: $67,959

• Median household income: $62,917
• Total cost of living annually: $40,111
• Livability: 80
• Leftover savings from median income: $22,806

Boerne, Texas

• Median household income: $86,838
• Total cost of living annually: $62,431
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $24,407

Schertz, Texas

• Median household income: $96,633
• Total cost of living annually: $45,299
• Livability: 73
• Leftover savings from median income: $51,334

Universal City, Texas

• Median household income: $75,439
• Total cost of living annually: $41,019
• Livability: 73
• Leftover savings from median income: $34,420

• Median household income: $88,792
• Total cost of living annually: $62,032
• Livability: 78
• Leftover savings from median income: $26,760

Sherwood, Oregon

• Median household income: $110,616
• Total cost of living annually: $68,338
• Livability: 92
• Leftover savings from median income: $42,278

Milwaukie, Oregon

• Median household income: $82,422
• Total cost of living annually: $59,740
• Livability: 91
• Leftover savings from median income: $22,682

Battle Ground, Washington

• Median household income: $100,185
• Total cost of living annually: $65,588
• Livability: 90
• Leftover savings from median income: $34,597

Find more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas, as defined by the U.S. Census 2023 5-Year ACS, to find the difference in cost of living from the most popular major city to the best three suburbs in each area. Using the ACS, the 25 most populated MSAs were identified, along with median household income for all the places located within those metro areas. To qualify as a suburb, the place had to have at least 5,000 households, be within an MSA, but not be named in the MSA (not a principal city). The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes and the highest three suburbs in each metro were identified. Using the Zillow Home Value Index, the single-family home value was sourced for each location. Assuming a 10% down payment, using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage was calculated for each place. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces. Using the national average expenditure costs for all households, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all consumer units, the average expenditure cost was calculated for each place. Using the average expenditure and mortgage, the total cost of living was calculated for each place. All data was collected on Nov. 21, 2025.