<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Little Rock, Arkansas.Sean Pavone/Shutterstock</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Realtor.com identified the top 10 places in the US with the lowest cost of living.</li><li>The ranking considered how much residents pay for homes as well as expenses like food and gas.</li></ul><p>While inflation in the United States is <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/higher-long-term-inflation-outlook-investing-strategy-attractive-bonds-stocks-2024-10">gradually easing</a>, many people have yet to tangibly feel much relief.</p><p>Since inflation reached a 40-year high in 2022, prices for everyday expenses in the US — including gas, food, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-costs-keep-rising-inflation-goes-down-eggs-tickets-insurance-2024-7">entertainment</a>, and housing — have increased significantly. Although prices are beginning to <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-september-cpi-consumer-price-index-federal-reserve-interest-rates-2024-10">moderate</a>, many American households still find themselves struggling <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-debt-credit-card-balances-fed-loans-mortgage-student-loans-2023-11">with debt</a>, living from <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-insecurity-cost-of-living-inflation-housing-retirement-crisis-bofa-2024-10">paycheck to paycheck</a>, or severely <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/half-american-renters-ignore-key-financial-rule-on-housing-spending-2024-9">cost-burdened</a>, meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing.</p><p>While the cost of living varies widely from state to state and city to city, several spots across the US can offer residents a comfortable standard of living with prices that don't break the bank.</p><p>To determine the <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/top-cities-with-lowest-cost-of-living/">US cities with the lowest cost of living</a>, the economic research team at Realtor.com analyzed the latest regional price parity data from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/real-personal-consumption-expenditures-state-and-real-personal-income-state-and">Bureau of Economic Analysis</a> on the costs of various items, including food, housing, medical care, transportation, and other goods and services, </p><p>The research team found that the US cities with the lowest cost of living are primarily smaller spots in the South and Midwest — with two in Texas and three in Ohio — reinforcing these regions' existing reputation as <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wealthy-leaving-california-new-york-moving-florida-texas-reasons-effects-2024-8">affordable places to live</a>.</p><p>While lower prices for necessities such as food, clothing, and utilities play a key role in affordability, a key factor is the substantially lower home prices in these smaller towns.</p><p>"Home prices in these areas were $100,000 or more below the national median in September," Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com, said in the report. The US median list home price decreased by 1% year over year to $425,000 in September, the company said.</p><p>Below are the 10 US cities with the lowest cost of living.</p>