New York City, as well as several cities on the West Coast, are among the areas where living costs are rising the most in the United States, a new study has shown.
An analysis by Plasma, a company developing stablecoin products and infrastructure aimed at transforming global money movement, has identified the major U.S. cities where the cost of living is increasing the fastest. Using a weighted system that combined inflation data with housing costs, monthly living expenses, and average salaries, the company examined how affordability is shifting across some of the country’s most populous metropolitan areas.
The study focused on the 30 most populous U.S. cities, examining each city’s consumer price index, average rent prices, typical monthly expenditures—including groceries, utilities, transportation, clothing, sports and leisure costs, and childcare—and average salaries. Plasma then analyzed search trends for the term “cost of living” in each city to identify where concerns about rising expenses are most acute. Search volumes were sourced from KeywordTool, and all data is accurate as of January 14, 2026.
Plasma gathered housing costs, average monthly salaries, and living expenses from Numbeo, a crowdsourced database providing insight on various everyday metrics, including housing price indicators, perceived crime rates, healthcare quality, transport quality, childcare, and other key figures.
According to the findings shared with Newsweek, New York City ranks as the number‑one U.S. city where cost‑of‑living anxiety is most pronounced. “The Big Apple ranks as the no. 1 U.S. city where cost-of-living anxiety is rampant, with more than 26,100 related searches made each month, signaling widespread financial strain across the Empire State’s most populous city,” the report said.
Despite an average monthly salary of $5,250, rent for a one‑bedroom apartment in the city center averages $4,564, while essential monthly living costs amount to about $1,646. With inflation at 3.4 percent across the metro area, the analysis suggests that even relatively high earners are increasingly feeling pressure.
San Diego ranks second on the list. The report noted: “Though residents of this seaside city may be raking home $5,759 on average each month, this hasn’t shielded them from rising costs.” With rent of a one-bedroom apartment averaging $3,206 a month and monthly living costs exceeding $1,300, the city is experiencing a mounting affordability gap. Over 8,600 cost-of-living-related searches reflect the growing concern of residents struggling to keep up.
San Francisco stands out as the third city where the cost of living is rising the most. “Though San Francisco may offer the highest average monthly salary at $7,508, costs remain relentlessly high,” the report said, citing average rent of $3,458 for a one‑bedroom apartment and living expenses above $1,600. These pressures correspond with more than 6,200 searches related to cost‑of‑living worries.
Rounding out the top five ranking are Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, reflecting continued affordability challenges across the West Coast.
A spokesperson for Plasma told Newsweek: “Many Americans are worried about the cost of living and the level of search demand illustrates the level of anxiety about rising costs. This trend highlights a need for financial products that are as mobile and global as today’s workforce. Economic pressures in one city shouldn’t dictate a person’s entire financial reality.”
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