Cheapest States 2026: Oklahoma Costs $1,025/Mo Less Than Austin

Housing in the Cheapest States: Rent vs. Own

In Lawton, Oklahoma — Comanche County, population ~91,000 — a one-bedroom apartment averages $720/month. In Tulsa, that number climbs to around $875 — still about half what a 1-bedroom costs in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood ($1,680). Oklahoma City sits near $950/month for a one-bedroom.

Mississippi and Alabama rank among the friendliest states for renters in 2026, factoring in rent prices, unit availability, tenant protections, and overall quality of life. In Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Forrest County), a two-bedroom runs roughly $790/month. In Huntsville, Alabama (Madison County) — one of the fastest-growing metros in the Southeast — a comparable unit averages $1,010/month, still well below the national median.

Homebuyers get even better math. The median home price in Joplin, Missouri (Jasper County) sits near $178,000. At current 30-year mortgage rates (~6.8%), a 20% down on that home yields a monthly principal-and-interest payment of roughly $926 — less than renting a studio in Brooklyn, New York.

Groceries, Gas, and Daily Essentials

Groceries in Oklahoma run about 7–9% below national average. A weekly shopping cart for one person — eggs, chicken, produce, dairy — costs roughly $68 in Tulsa versus $90 in Seattle, Washington. Monthly grocery spend for a single adult averages $295–$340 in Oklahoma’s top metro areas.

The national average gas price on March 3, 2026 was $3.11 per gallon — up just 0.4% from $3.10 a year earlier. Oklahoma and Missouri consistently post prices 10–15 cents below that national figure. Tulsa drivers frequently see pump prices of $2.89–$2.96/gallon. For a driver logging 1,000

— a meaningful edge for commuters driving 25-plus miles daily in the Tulsa metro. That 15-cent gap saves a two-car household roughly $18–$22 per month compared to the national average.

#4 — Missouri: $1,820–$2,210/Month

Read more: Cheapest Oregon Towns 2026: Live Well on $2,000/Month

Springfield, Greene County, Missouri — population 169,000 — consistently lands among America’s most affordable mid-size cities. State income tax tops out at 4.8%, down from 5.4% after 2023 rate cuts. The median home sale price in Springfield hit $214,500 in January 2026, per Missouri Realtors Association data. Renters pay a median $795/month for a one-bedroom in the city core — compared to $1,640 in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.

Missouri’s general sales tax is 4.225% — one of the lowest base rates in the Midwest. Local add-ons in Springfield bring effective retail tax to 8.1%, still below Missouri’s two largest metros. Utilities in Springfield average $128/month for a 900 sq ft apartment. That’s $44 below the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s January 2026 national residential average of $172.

#5 — Iowa: $1,870–$2,290/Month

Iowa surprises skeptics. The state slashed its flat income tax to 3.8% as of January 2025 — one of the steepest single-year rate drops in recent Midwest history. Cedar Rapids, Linn County (pop. 137,000) carries a median home price of $198,000. That’s roughly 61% below the national median of $412,000, per the U.S. Census Bureau Housing Vacancies Survey.

Cedar Rapids renters pay roughly $820/month for a one-bedroom. Healthcare costs run lean here too. Iowa ranks 9th nationally for lowest average employer health premium contributions, per KFF’s 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey. The state also exempts Social Security income from taxation — a direct benefit for roughly 620,000 Iowa retirees.

#6 — Kansas: $1,900–$2,340/Month

Wichita, Sedgwick County is Kansas’s largest city and cheapest major metro — population 397,000. Median rent for a one-bedroom apartment sits at $835/month. State income tax runs 5.2% at the top bracket, but Kansas lawmakers passed a grocery food tax elimination effective January 2025 — zeroing out the state’s infamous food sales tax that once hit 6.5%. A family of four saves an estimated $540/year from that single change alone.

Property taxes in Wichita average 1.29% of assessed value — moderate for the Plains. On a $195,000 home — Wichita’s approximate median — that’s $2,516/year, or about $210/month added to housing costs. Even with that included, total housing costs in Wichita remain far below the national median.

#7 — Tennessee: $1,950–$2,450/Month

Read more: West Virginia 2026: Full Life Under $2,100/Month in Charleston

Tennessee has no state income tax — and hasn’t since the Hall Income Tax was fully repealed in 2021. The trade-off: sales tax of 7% (state) plus local rates pushing effective rates to 9.25–9.75% in most counties — among the highest combined rates nationally. Still, the zero income tax advantage is enormous for mid-to-high earners. A household earning $85,000/year saves roughly $4,000–$5,500 annually versus living in California or New York.

Clarksville, Montgomery County (pop. 176,000) — 45 miles northwest of Nashville — is Tennessee’s affordability secret. Median home price: $285,000. One-bedroom rent: $975/month. That’s sharply below Nashville’s Davidson County median rent of $1,590. Clarksville’s proximity to Fort Campbell drives stable housing demand without luxury pricing pressure seen in Williamson County.

#8 — West Virginia: $1,710–$2,150/Month

Raw dollar costs in West Virginia are the lowest of any state east of the Mississippi. Morgantown, Monongalia County — home to West Virginia University — offers a one-bedroom median rent of just $760/month. The state’s median home price stands at $162,000, per National Association of Realtors Q1 2026 data — the lowest statewide median in the country.

West Virginia’s income tax is being phased down aggressively. The top rate dropped to 4.82% in 2025, with further cuts scheduled through 2028 under H.B. 2526. The caveat: median household income sits at $52,460 — 17th lowest nationally — meaning lower costs reflect, in part, lower wages. Remote workers relocating here are the biggest financial winners.

Complete 2026 Ranking: All 10 Cheapest States by Monthly Cost

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