Cost of living index in the 50 U.S. states in 2023
The least expensive areas to live in the U.S. were in Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Kansas in 2023. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. For instance, the state of Mississippi, the least expensive state, had a cost of living index of 86.2 - well below the national benchmark of 100. Florida - which had an index value of 100.7 in 2023 - was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, District of Columbia, and Massachusetts.