These are the most expensive places to live in America

If you want to save money, you probably shouldn't move to California. Personal finance site Mint.com has released a list of the most expensive cities in the country, and six California cities — including the most expensive city, Palo Alto — make the top 10.

Mint looked at American spending patterns and average transaction amounts to make their calculations. Nationwide, Mint users average $171 per transaction, but in Palo Alto, the average transaction is an astonishing $345. Mint also found that healthcare costs are highest on the West Coast, while housing and auto costs are highest in New York City.

So what are people spending the bulk of their money on? Mint's top spending categories were all about food: groceries, fast food, and restaurants, respectively. The top merchants in the U.S., meanwhile, were Amazon, Walmart, McDonald's, Target, and Starbucks.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

As for affordable places to live, Mint found that Americans spend the least in Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Fort Worth and San Antonio in Texas.