Below is the best single source I’ve found to compare the relative cost of living (COL) in the 50 states. It uses “100” as the national average, and then rates each state relative to that average.
It’s provided by the state of Missouri — doubtless to highlight the state’s low COL. It’s updated on a quarterly basis. The original research is done by The Council for Community and Economic Research out of Virginia, which seems to have no ax to grind.
Missouri IS good, but not the best. It’s rated 7th best among the states. Texas is #8.
The WORST state? Surprise! NOT California. Years ago some isolated islands in the middle of the Pacific somehow gained statehood, and they lay claim to being easily the most expensive state. But then, EVERYTHING has to be imported into Hawaii — except lava and great surf.
Which state is #2? Need you ask??
See the map and chart below. Note the DEGREE of California’s high cost of living. For instance, compared to hated Texas, California has a 50.8% higher cost of living.
https://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/
| First Quarter 2017 Cost of Living | ||||||||
| State | Rank | Index | Grocery | Housing | Utilities | Transportation | Heath | Misc. |
| Mississippi | 1 | 85.0 | 94.9 | 71.7 | 85.0 | 91.0 | 92.3 | 89.2 |
| Arkansas | 2 | 87.9 | 91.3 | 77.3 | 95.0 | 87.6 | 87.3 | 93.2 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 89.1 | 94.3 | 74.8 | 98.5 | 89.3 | 92.0 | 95.3 |
| Michigan | 4 | 89.5 | 91.7 | 79.4 | 91.7 | 100.8 | 94.1 | 92.4 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 89.7 | 91.9 | 78.7 | 96.6 | 90.4 | 88.7 | 95.5 |
| Georgia | 6 | 90.0 | 97.1 | 74.7 | 95.1 | 98.8 | 96.7 | 94.7 |
| Missouri | 7 | 90.1 | 99.2 | 73.9 | 102.1 | 94.3 | 97.3 | 94.0 |
| Texas | 8 | 90.4 | 89.4 | 83.0 | 97.9 | 93.1 | 97.1 | 92.9 |
| Indiana | 9 | 90.6 | 95.3 | 77.8 | 96.0 | 93.2 | 92.5 | 96.2 |
| Alabama | 10 | 90.6 | 97.1 | 73.8 | 109.5 | 92.4 | 87.2 | 95.6 |
| Idaho | 11 | 90.8 | 85.8 | 80.1 | 93.9 | 104.6 | 98.2 | 95.8 |
| Kansas | 12 | 91.1 | 94.0 | 78.5 | 96.6 | 93.9 | 96.8 | 97.0 |
| Iowa | 13 | 92.3 | 93.4 | 83.5 | 94.7 | 100.3 | 97.7 | 95.4 |
| Ohio | 14 | 92.7 | 98.6 | 73.6 | 91.5 | 100.5 | 96.5 | 103.2 |
| Louisiana | 15 | 93.8 | 98.0 | 88.0 | 91.8 | 96.2 | 96.9 | 96.3 |
| Nebraska | 16 | 93.9 | 95.4 | 88.5 | 88.4 | 103.0 | 98.3 | 96.3 |
| Utah | 17 | 94.0 | 101.6 | 91.7 | 81.3 | 97.7 | 97.1 | 95.0 |
| North Carolina | 18 | 94.5 | 98.5 | 85.3 | 96.0 | 99.4 | 106.8 | 96.9 |
| Kentucky | 19 | 94.6 | 90.6 | 84.5 | 94.1 | 99.2 | 91.6 | 103.3 |
| Wyoming | 20 | 94.7 | 107.4 | 83.2 | 107.0 | 95.0 | 98.9 | 94.8 |
| West Virginia | 21 | 95.3 | 106.1 | 85.8 | 87.7 | 101.3 | 92.0 | 99.6 |
| New Mexico | 22 | 96.2 | 96.9 | 94.9 | 84.8 | 103.5 | 101.2 | 97.6 |
| Wisconsin | 23 | 96.4 | 98.9 | 87.9 | 100.6 | 101.0 | 111.9 | 97.9 |
| Arizona | 24 | 96.6 | 101.3 | 94.1 | 93.2 | 96.5 | 98.0 | 97.5 |
| Illinois | 25 | 97.1 | 97.1 | 90.0 | 96.6 | 106.2 | 99.9 | 100.1 |
| Montana | 26 | 98.0 | 101.6 | 107.8 | 79.4 | 92.9 | 99.2 | 95.5 |
| North Dakota | 27 | 99.3 | 103.2 | 94.2 | 88.2 | 107.0 | 112.1 | 101.5 |
| Minnesota | 28 | 99.7 | 108.9 | 90.6 | 89.8 | 103.0 | 112.0 | 103.7 |
| South Dakota | 29 | 100.2 | 103.2 | 113.1 | 96.0 | 91.4 | 99.1 | 92.5 |
| Florida | 30 | 100.4 | 106.1 | 97.7 | 102.4 | 101.8 | 98.8 | 99.6 |
| South Carolina | 31 | 100.5 | 103.7 | 87.0 | 113.0 | 92.9 | 101.0 | 108.2 |
| Nevada | 32 | 101.6 | 98.5 | 106.9 | 85.8 | 108.0 | 105.4 | 101.1 |
| Colorado | 33 | 101.6 | 99.1 | 112.8 | 84.4 | 98.0 | 106.1 | 99.3 |
| Virginia | 34 | 101.7 | 98.4 | 110.7 | 99.1 | 92.6 | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Pennsylvania | 35 | 102.1 | 103.4 | 97.8 | 110.9 | 107.5 | 89.5 | 102.5 |
| Delaware | 36 | 102.5 | 106.2 | 98.4 | 110.8 | 92.3 | 98.2 | 105.2 |
| Washington | 37 | 106.1 | 108.2 | 105.8 | 92.0 | 115.0 | 118.3 | 105.8 |
| Maine | 38 | 115.0 | 98.6 | 128.0 | 117.3 | 113.9 | 107.9 | 111.5 |
| New Hampshire | 39 | 118.0 | 121.6 | 108.0 | 133.1 | 109.9 | 114.6 | 122.8 |
| Vermont | 40 | 120.7 | 112.1 | 144.1 | 121.2 | 114.4 | 104.3 | 109.0 |
| New Jersey | 41 | 121.2 | 103.6 | 151.8 | 116.1 | 113.1 | 105.1 | 109.4 |
| Rhode Island | 42 | 123.2 | 112.4 | 141.3 | 127.5 | 102.5 | 108.9 | 119.3 |
| Oregon | 43 | 127.3 | 116.0 | 175.9 | 80.1 | 100.9 | 109.3 | 116.2 |
| Maryland | 44 | 129.1 | 113.7 | 186.1 | 103.9 | 108.0 | 95.0 | 107.1 |
| Connecticut | 45 | 129.1 | 104.1 | 167.1 | 108.7 | 114.8 | 115.0 | 120.4 |
| Massachusetts | 46 | 129.4 | 107.5 | 160.1 | 127.7 | 107.7 | 118.9 | 121.5 |
| New York | 47 | 131.1 | 109.9 | 187.1 | 103.8 | 111.8 | 100.7 | 111.8 |
| Alaska | 48 | 131.5 | 137.0 | 139.0 | 143.7 | 121.2 | 147.3 | 121.0 |
| California | 49 | 136.3 | 114.1 | 196.5 | 114.8 | 122.8 | 110.1 | 110.5 |
| District of Columbia | 50 | 153.3 | 117.3 | 245.7 | 115.8 | 114.8 | 99.7 | 122.0 |
| Hawaii | 51 | 187.7 | 165.7 | 299.3 | 193.3 | 133.3 | 119.3 | 129.6 |
| US Average | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | |