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.

To get an idea of the cost of living challenge facing millions of Americans today, we’ve used data from SmartAsset's 2024 study on the salaries needed to live comfortably and focused on 30 of America’s biggest cities by population. The cities are ranked from least to most expensive based on the amount of money a family of four needs to make to have a comfortable existence.

Population data is based on 2022 US Census Bureau estimates and is limited to city rather than county or metropolitan area.

How much you need to live comfortably In America's biggest cities