Report: The Most Expensive and Most Affordable Largest U.S. Cities 2024
doxo’s latest research, The 50 Largest U.S. Cities Household Spend Report 2024 breaks down comparative household bill costs across the 50 largest cities (based on number of households) in the country.
At 60 pages long, with a detailed infographic for all 50 cities on the list, the report provides an extensive look into average spending in 10 key household bill categories, specifically in Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance. Also, the report breaks down average spending statistics across the country. For instance, the average annual cost per U.S. household on bill expenses per year is $25,513.
The report also contains rankings of the 50 largest cities in order of how expensive they are. The findings include the total monthly spend for bills each month, the Cost of Bills Index (COBI), the percentage of income these bills amount to, and how these bills compare to the national average.
A high-level look at the 10 most expensive and least expensive cities among the 50 largest U.S. cities are outlined below.
10 Most Expensive Largest U.S. Cities for Household Bills:
| City | Monthly Bill Expense Per Household* | Cost of Bills Index (COBI)** | Percent of Household Income | Percent Above National Average |
| San Jose | $3,695 | 174 | 32% | +74% |
| New York | $3,639 | 171 | 38% | +71% |
| Boston | $3,410 | 160 | 41% | +60% |
| San Francisco | $3,359 | 158 | 29% | +58% |
| San Diego | $3,324 | 156 | 39% | +56% |
| Los Angeles | $3,113 | 146 | 51% | +46% |
| Seattle | $3,049 | 143 | 33% | +43% |
| Washington, DC | $2,991 | 141 | 34% | +41% |
| Miami | $2,867 | 135 | 49% | +35% |
| Portland | $2,758 | 130 | 36% | +30% |
10 Least Expensive Largest U.S. Cities for Household Bills:
| City | Monthly Bill Expense Per Household* | Cost of Bills Index (COBI)** | Percent of Household Income | Percent Below National Average |
| Indianapolis | $1,976 | 93 | 38% | -7% |
| Louisville | $1,936 | 91 | 34% | -9% |
| Memphis | $1,912 | 90 | 43% | -10% |
| Albuquerque | $1,907 | 90 | 36% | -10% |
| Oklahoma City | $1,896 | 89 | 38% | -11% |
| Rochester | $1,858 | 87 | 35% | -13% |
| El Paso | $1,784 | 84 | 38% | -16% |
| Dayton | $1,773 | 83 | 32% | -17% |
| Cleveland | $1,735 | 82 | 41% | -18% |
| Detroit | $1,640 | 77 | 53% | -23% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage). See report for details.
**For the COBI, the number 100 represents the national average and then, states, counties and cities are assigned a number, either above or below 100, based on how they compare to the national average.
50 Largest U.S. Cities Household Spend Report 2024
A look at the $4.46 trillion U.S. consumer bill pay market, with a specific emphasis on the $3.35 trillion spend across the 10 most common household bill pay categories within the 50 largest cities (based on number of households) across the United States.
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