Recent research from Plasma, providers of stablecoin infrastructure for instant global payments, has uncovered Phoenix is the No. 18 U.S. city where the cost of living is rising the most through a weighted analysis of inflation rates across some of the most populous countries in the world and average housing costs, monthly expenses, and salaries across each city.
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Phoenix offers one of the lower average monthly salary at $4,037 with costs remaining relentlessly high. With average rent at $1,717 for a one-bedroom and living expenses exceeding $1,248 the city continues to test affordability limits, which are reflected in the nearly 9,000 searches per month related to cost-of-living concerns.
Curious to see what other cities are seeing cost of living rise the most? Check out the table below.
The top 20 U.S. cities where the cost of living is rising the most
| Rank | City | Country | Search Volume for ‘ + cost of living’ | Consumer Price Index 2025 | Average Rent (1 bedroom, city center) | Average Monthly Costs for a Single Person Excluding Rent | Average Monthly Salary (after tax) |
| 1 | New York | New York | 26,140 | 3.40% | $4,564 | $1,646 | $5,250 |
| 2 | San Diego | California | 8,630 | 4.00% | $3,206 | $1,371 | $5,759 |
| 3 | San Francisco | California | 6,290 | 3.00% | $3,458 | $1,620 | $7,508 |
| 4 | Los Angeles | California | 14,800 | 3.00% | $2,562 | $1,378 | $4,654 |
| 5 | Seattle | Washington | 11,250 | 3.10% | $2,445 | $1,573 | $6,526 |
| 6 | Boston | Massachusetts | 7,020 | 2.80% | $3,430 | $1,460 | $6,608 |
| 7 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 7,890 | 3.90% | $1,890 | $1,399 | $4,309 |
| 8 | San Jose | California | 5,620 | 3.00% | $3,038 | $1,462 | $5,689 |
| 9 | Chicago | Illinois | 14,540 | 2.20% | $2,372 | $1,290 | $5,330 |
| 10 | Baltimore | Maryland | 6,200 | 3.40% | $1,862 | $1,264 | $4,029 |
| 11 | Portland | Oregon | 7,500 | 2.90% | $2,013 | $1,315 | $4,883 |
| 12 | Denver | Colorado | 9,920 | 2.20% | $2,116 | $1,288 | $4,896 |
| 13 | Las Vegas | Nevada | 9,300 | 2.90% | $1,587 | $1,150 | $3,844 |
| 14 | Austin | Texas | 9,600 | 2.20% | $2,158 | $1,109 | $4,939 |
| 15 | San Antonio | Texas | 7,880 | 3.00% | $1,575 | $1,091 | $4,133 |
| 16 | Columbus | Ohio | 7,550 | 2.70% | $1,527 | $1,200 | $3,906 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 6,260 | 2.70% | $1,744 | $1,192 | $4,150 |
| 18 | Phoenix | Arizona | 8,750 | 2.20% | $1,717 | $1,248 | $4,037 |
| 19 | Houston | Texas | 13,810 | 1.60% | $1,717 | $1,127 | $4,622 |
| 20 | Jacksonville | Florida | 6,610 | 2.70% | $1,613 | $1,138 | $3,805 |
