OKC continues to rank among most affordable U.S. cities

The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) released its third-quarter 2025 Cost of Living Index, showing Oklahoma City’s overall score at 81.9, or 18.1 points below the national average of 100. 

The city’s score increased 0.4 points from the second quarter. OKC remains in the lowest quartile nationally and seventh lowest among 272 urban areas. It also ranks first among U.S. cities with more than 500,000 residents for having the lowest overall cost of living. 

OKC’s 2025 Q3 breakdown 

OKC’s composite index was 81.9, with individual category scores as follows: 

• Grocery: 93.5, down 1.9 points from last quarter. 
• Housing: 59.2, up 2.3 points. 
• Utilities: 97.9, down 1.1 points. 
• Transportation: 88.5, up 1.6 points. 
• Healthcare: 95.3, down 3.9 points. 
• Miscellaneous goods and services: 88.0, up 0.5 points. 

These figures show that OKC remains well below the national average across most categories, with housing costs continuing to drive overall affordability. 

Comparison across the U.S. 

C2ER’s data found that living costs for professional and managerial households ranged widely in the third quarter of 2025. Manhattan, New York, recorded the highest cost of living at more than twice the national average, while Tupelo, Mississippi, was the lowest at more than 20 percent below the national average. 

Groceries and energy 

C2ER collects grocery data from more than 150,000 retail locations nationwide, analyzing 320 million prices and 1.5 trillion data points. OKC’s grocery index of 93.5 reflects stable food prices compared with other metro areas. 

Energy costs also continue to influence affordability. Nationally, the average monthly household energy cost was $224.80 in the third quarter. Prices ranged from $633.58 in Fairbanks, Alaska, to $117.83 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. OKC’s utility index of 97.9 indicates that local energy costs remain slightly below the national average. 

About the Cost-of-Living Index 

The Cost-of-Living Index measures differences in consumer prices for 61 goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer spending. Data is collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and university research centers across participating urban areas.