2025 Cost of Bills Index (COBI) Report
Based on doxo’s proprietary Cost of Bills Index™ (COBI), the 2025 Cost of Bills Index (COBI) Report found that the cost of household bills varies dramatically across the U.S., with residents in the most expensive states like California, Hawaii, and New Jersey paying up to 39% more than the national median, while those in the most affordable states like West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma pay up to 44% less. The COBI report follows on the heels of doxo’s recently released 2025 U.S. Household Bill Pay Report which found that the typical U.S. household now spends $24,695 annually on these essential bills.
This year’s report lands amid rising economic pressures, marked by the first economic contraction in three years—a signal of growing strain across households and industries alike. As inflation and high borrowing costs squeeze family finances, the COBI highlights where Americans may find relief in terms of cost of living—and where the pain is hitting hardest.
The COBI is based on doxo’s nationwide bill payment statistics for the thirteen most common household bill categories, and provides a standard comparison index for the most fundamental expenses that comprise the cost of living. Leveraging doxo’s unique, aggregate, anonymized bill pay data, the COBI is a feature of doxoINSIGHTS, which provides a comprehensive look into the Bill Pay Economy™ at the state, county and city level.
Providing a standard benchmark, the 2025 Cost of Bills Index (COBI) Report includes state- and city-specific breakdowns with comparisons to the national median, and uncovers the five most and least expensive U.S. states to live in, based on the COBI:
The Top 5 Most Expensive U.S. States by the Cost of Bills Index (COBI)
| State | Standard COBI* | % Above National Median |
| California | 139 | +39% |
| Hawaii | 132 | +32% |
| New Jersey | 127 | +27% |
| Massachusetts | 127 | +27% |
| Maryland | 122 | +22% |
The Top 5 Least Expensive U.S. States by the Cost of Bills Index (COBI)
| State | Standard COBI* | % Below National Median |
| New Mexico | 77 | -23% |
| Arkansas | 75 | -25% |
| Oklahoma | 75 | -25% |
| Mississippi | 73 | -27% |
| West Virginia | 56 | -44% |
The Top 5 Most Expensive Largest U.S. Cities by the Cost of Bills Index (COBI)
| City | Standard COBI* | % Above National Median |
| San Jose | 171 | +71% |
| New York | 164 | +64% |
| San Francisco | 159 | +59% |
| San Diego | 155 | +55% |
| Boston | 154 | +54% |
The Top 5 Least Expensive Largest U.S. Cities by the Cost of Bills Index (COBI)
| City | Standard COBI* | % Below National Median |
| Albuquerque | 83 | -17% |
| El Paso | 82 | -18% |
| Dayton | 82 | -18% |
| Detroit | 80 | -20% |
| Cleveland | 78 | -22% |
*For the COBI, the number 100 represents the national median and then, states, counties and cities are assigned a number, either above or below 100, based on how they compare to the national median. For example, the COBI for Seattle, WA is 143, meaning it’s 43% above national median, while the COBI for Charleston, WV is 57, meaning it’s 43% below national median.
2025 Cost of Bills Index Report
Download the full report for further details on doxoINSIGHTS’ Cost of Bills Index including state- and city-specific breakdowns with comparisons to the national median, and the most and least expensive U.S. states and 50 largest cities to live in, based on the COBI.