Cost of living comparison: Renting vs. buying by state In the U.S., the median rent is $1,406 and the median monthly mortgage payment is $1,904. Here's what those numbers look like on the state level.

With a cost of living index score of 189.9 Hawaii is the most expensive state to live in right now. Groceries alone are 50 percent more expensive than the country's average though poverty remains low.

Average Cost of Living: Albany, New York (100.1) Low Cost of Living: Beckley, West Virginia (80) Looking at that example, the cost of living in San Francisco is actually 287% higher than in ...

When you annualize this and budget 30% of your income for this cost, you need a salary of $93,720. Adding in student loans, you need an income of $98,500. Washington, D.C.