Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. for Living Expenses

C2ER gathers data on the prices of 60 types of consumer goods in various cities, focusing on food items such as bread, coffee, sugar, beef, and potatoes. Other categories include housing, fuel, transportation, and healthcare. The average prices are then compared with the average income of households in the top 5 highest brackets to rank the cities by the affordability of living costs.

Here is a list of the 10 cities with the lowest cost of living in the U.S.:

1. Temple, Texas
   Temple is located in central Texas and serves as a major transportation hub for the state. The cost of living here is 86.1% of the national average.

   • Margarine: 78 cents per half pound
   • Bread: 92 cents
   • Kleenex tissues: $1.34
   • Shampoo: 77 cents

2. Cookeville, Tennessee
   Cookeville is a manufacturing city between Knoxville and Nashville, serving as a trade center for nearby small towns. Russell Stover Candies was once the largest employer here until it closed in 2006.

   • 10 eggs: 98 cents
   • Bananas: 43 cents per half pound
   • Newspaper: $7.67 per week

3. Fayetteville, Arkansas
   Fayetteville is the third-largest city in Arkansas, located in the northwest part of the state. It is home to Wal-Mart's headquarters and the University of Arkansas.

   • Bowling: $2.88
   • Coca-Cola: $1.13
   • Canola oil: $2.83

4. Richmond, Indiana
   Richmond has been recognized as a top city in the U.S. twice. It is a manufacturing city located in central Indiana, near Ohio. The cost of living here is 85.8% of the national average.

   • Beef: $2.15
   • Chicken: 92 cents
   • 1.5 liters of milk: $1.85

5. Pryor Creek, Oklahoma
   Located on the northeastern border of Oklahoma, Pryor Creek is home to two annual music festivals, Country Fever and Rocklahoma.

   • Dental care: $60.50
   • Veterans' medical service: $25

6. Waco, Texas
   Situated between Dallas and Austin, Waco is also home to the famous Dr Pepper soft drink.

   • Coffee: $2.79
   • Frozen meat: $1.76
   • Gas: $3.38

7. McAllen, Texas
   McAllen is located near the Texas-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley. The average home price here is $206,600, and the cost of living is 84.5% of the national average.

   • Sugar: $2.18
   • Jeans: $11.99
   • Wine: $5

8. Ardmore, Oklahoma
   Ardmore is situated between Oklahoma City and Dallas. The cost of living here is 84.1% of the national average.

   • Coca-Cola: $1
   • Rent: $500
   • Telephone: $20.50

9. Memphis, Tennessee
   Known for its rich musical heritage, Memphis is also home to Elvis Presley. You don’t need to be wealthy to live here.

   • Average home price: $190,181
   • 6 cans of beer: $7.94

10. Harlingen, Texas
    Harlingen is designated as a retirement community. Located at the farthest eastern part of Texas, it has the lowest cost of living in the country at 81.7% of the national average.

• Haircut: $7.75
• Peaches: $1.59
• Potatoes: $1.63

(CNBC)