The Minimum Salary You Need To Rent in These 50 Major Cities

One unavoidable reality about modern living in America: City-living is increasingly expensive, perhaps no more so than in terms of rent levels. While by no means the national average, the rent levels in big cities like New York, San Francisco, Boston, San Jose, San Diego and Miami are all above $3,000 per month (the Big Apple tops them all with rent levels around $3,600 per month for a one-bedroom unit). Even with cost of living levels trending towards the stratosphere in general, that’s an awful lot of money to pay for rent in a big city.

As such, GOBankingRates has analyzed the largest 50 cities in America (by population). Against that list of cities, GOBankingRates calculated the various costs of living of each urban center, as well as the average cost of rent for one-bedroom apartments in each of the 50 cities. From that matrix, GOBankingRates was able to calculate the minimum salary needed to cover the cost of living of each of America’s 50 largest cities (both for rent and all other costs of living).

Curious how your big city stacks up against the rest of the country? Thinking about how much it would cost to rent in your dream city? Check out the list below to find out the minimum salary you need to rent in America’s 50 biggest cities by population.

• Salary needed: $64,258
• Median income: $141,446
• Average monthly rent: $3,419

• Salary needed: $56,346
• Median income: $141,565
• Average monthly rent: $3,200

• Salary needed: $53,638
• Median income: $104,321
• Average monthly rent: $3,065

• Salary needed: $64,542
• Median income: $79,713
• Average monthly rent: $3,602

• Salary needed: $56,994
• Median income: $94,755
• Average monthly rent: $3,368

• Salary needed: $54,793
• Median income: $121,984
• Average monthly rent: $2,245

• Salary needed: $52,137
• Median income: $80,366
• Average monthly rent: $2,886

• Salary needed: $55,309
• Median income: $106,287
• Average monthly rent: $2,533

• Salary needed: $48,804
• Median income: $97,369
• Average monthly rent: $2,495

• Salary needed: $53,704
• Median income: $59,390
• Average monthly rent: $3,054

• Salary needed: $46,365
• Median income: $83,969
• Average monthly rent: $2,333

• Salary needed: $47,330
• Median income: $91,681
• Average monthly rent: $1,896

• Salary needed: $47,655
• Median income: $75,134
• Average monthly rent: $2,237

• Salary needed: $43,134
• Median income: $83,753
• Average monthly rent: $2,142

• Salary needed: $45,133
• Median income: $90,685
• Average monthly rent: $1,895

• Salary needed: $45,555
• Median income: $71,302
• Average monthly rent: $2,187

• Salary needed: $45,661
• Median income: $88,792
• Average monthly rent: $1,741

• Salary needed: $45,373
• Median income: $84,320
• Average monthly rent: $1,799

• Salary needed: $43,796
• Median income: $80,269
• Average monthly rent: $1,603

• Salary needed: $44,127
• Median income: $59,623
• Average monthly rent: $1,704

• Salary needed: $44,249
• Median income: $81,938
• Average monthly rent: $1,883

• Salary needed: $42,255
• Median income: $91,461
• Average monthly rent: $1,656

• Salary needed: $45,845
• Median income: $60,698
• Average monthly rent: $1,780

• Salary needed: $42,278
• Median income: $67,760
• Average monthly rent: $1,730

• Salary needed: $40,897
• Median income: $78,438
• Average monthly rent: $1,782

• Salary needed: $40,332
• Median income: $82,424
• Average monthly rent: $1,663

• Salary needed: $40,025
• Median income: $67,449
• Average monthly rent: $1,444

• Salary needed: $39,554
• Median income: $62,894
• Average monthly rent: $1,592

• Salary needed: $40,871
• Median income: $77,041
• Average monthly rent: $1,675

• Salary needed: $39,507
• Median income: $65,327
• Average monthly rent: $1,456

• Salary needed: $37,663
• Median income: $66,804
• Average monthly rent: $1,886

• Salary needed: $39,138
• Median income: $83,198
• Average monthly rent: $1,784

• Salary needed: $43,467
• Median income: $73,519
• Average monthly rent: $1,767

• Salary needed: $42,339
• Median income: $70,723
• Average monthly rent: $1,758

• Salary needed: $38,049
• Median income: $76,602
• Average monthly rent: $1,715

• Salary needed: $38,620
• Median income: $78,779
• Average monthly rent: $1,635

• Salary needed: $40,021
• Median income: $72,708
• Average monthly rent: $1,385

• Salary needed: $40,400
• Median income: $66,981
• Average monthly rent: $1,621

• Salary needed: $41,571
• Median income: $55,339
• Average monthly rent: $1,692

• Salary needed: $37,621
• Median income: $65,604
• Average monthly rent: $1,609

• Salary needed: $38,281
• Median income: $62,995
• Average monthly rent: $1,437

• Salary needed: $36,562
• Median income: $62,917
• Average monthly rent: $1,421

• Salary needed: $35,639
• Median income: $54,546
• Average monthly rent: $1,522

• Salary needed: $37,664
• Median income: $51,888
• Average monthly rent: $1,390

• Salary needed: $37,530
• Median income: $66,702
• Average monthly rent: $1,297

• Salary needed: $39,308
• Median income: $58,734
• Average monthly rent: $1,543

• Salary needed: $36,676
• Median income: $58,407
• Average monthly rent: $1,303

• Salary needed: $35,909
• Median income: $51,211
• Average monthly rent: $1,290

• Salary needed: $35,968
• Median income: $63,072
• Average monthly rent: $1,028

• Salary needed: $39,919
• Median income: $39,575
• Average monthly rent: $1,348

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the largest 50 cities by total population according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey. To qualify for this study, each city had to have data from all sourced available. For each location a number of factors were found including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and household median income all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces and include the grocery, healthcare, housing, utilities, transportation, and miscellaneous cost of living indexes. Using the cost of living indexes and the national average expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each location can be calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes for each location and is included as supplemental information. The average single family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for March 2025 and also included as supplemental information. The average rental cost for a one bedroom, two bedroom, and overall average rental cost was sourced from ApartmentList and by using the average expenditure cost, the total cost of living for each city can be calculated. Using the 50/30/20 finance rule that states that needs should not exceed 50% of total income, the total cost of living for a renter was doubled to find the income needed to live comfortably. The income needed to rent comfortably and the income needed to get by in the largest cities was calculated and sorted to show the largest income needed first. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 13, 2025.