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How Much It Costs for a Family to Live in 20 Major U.S. Cities

3 minute read

It will only cost you about $49,114 a year to raise a family in Morristown, Tennessee, but if you move to Washington, DC, that expense more that doubles, to $106,493.

That’s according to the Economic Policy Institute‘s 2015 Family Budget Calculator, which measures the annual cost of necessities for a family to live a secure yet modest lifestyle by estimating the costs of housing, food, child care, transportation, healthcare, other necessities, and taxes.

(Read the EPI’s full methodology for the budget calculator here.)

The EPI gathered data in 618 metro areas throughout the US for several different family types. Here, we’ve highlighted the cost of living for a four-person family (two adults, two children) in 20 major US cities.

If you’re looking to start a family in an urban area, consider the annual and monthly cost of necessities, and remember, these numbers do not include savings or discretionary spending.

Washington, D.C.

US-LIFESTYLE-TOURISM
Karen Bleier—AFP/Getty Images

Estimated cost of annual necessities: $106,493

Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $8,874

This article originally appeared on Business Insider

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  • New York, New York

    NY Skyline, Freedom Tower
    Education Images/UIG/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $98,722

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $8,227

    San Francisco, California

    Residential Real Estate As City Becomes The Least Affordable U.S. Housing Market
    Bloomberg/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $91,785

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $7,649

    Boston, Massachusetts

    Colorful docked sailboats and Boston Skyline in winter on half frozen Charles River, Massachusetts
    Education Images/UIG/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $85,793

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $7,149

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Views Of Pennsylvania's Largest City
    Bloomberg/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $76,393

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $6,366

    Baltimore, Maryland

    US Coast Guard sailing ship Eagle departs Baltimore harbor, Maryland
    Education Images/UIG/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $74,427

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $6,202

    San Diego, California

    Scenic San Diego skyline, sailboat and waterfront, Pacific Ocean at sunset, California
    Education Images/UIG/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $74,425

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $6,202

    Los Angeles, California

    Culture
    Siqui Sanchez—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $73,887

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $6,157

    Seattle, Washington

    Space Needle
    G. Sioen—De Agostini/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $72,274

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $6,023

    Chicago, Illinois

    Chicago Cityscapes And City Views
    Raymond Boyd—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $71,995

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $6,000

    Denver, Colorado

    DENVER, CO - APRIL 30: Denver Skyline as seen from the Cherry Creek Dam road in Denver, Colorado on April 30, 2015.  (Photo By Helen H. Richardson/ The Denver Post)
    Helen H. Richardson—The Denver Post/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $71,104

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,925

    Sacramento, California

    sacramento-capital-building
    George Rose—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $69,296

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,775

    Miami, Florida

    U.S. Travel, Tourism Exports In 2012 Reach $168 Billion
    Bloomberg/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $68,503

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,709

    Portland, Oregon

    Skyline
    Santi Visalli—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $67,802

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,650

    Charlotte, North Carolina

    Democratic National Convention Committee Unveils Stage For DNC
    Streeter Lecka—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $65,492

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,458

    Atlanta, Georgia

    Atlanta skyline Georgia USA
    Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $63,888

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,324

    St. Louis, Missouri

    Gateway Arch
    G. Sioen—De Agostini/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $63,100

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,258

    Dallas, Texas

    America's Ninth Largest City Ahead Of GDP Figures
    Bloomberg/Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $61,150

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,096

    Cleveland, Ohio

    Cleveland Cityscapes And City Views
    Raymond Boyd—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $60,900

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,075

    Houston, Texas

    Houston Scenics
    Scott Halleran—Getty Images

    Estimated cost of annual necessities: $60,608

    Estimated cost of monthly necessities: $5,051

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