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.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
-
Microsoft pursues digital intelligence ‘aligned to human values’ in shift from OpenAIUNDER THE RADAR The iconic tech giant is jumping into the AI game with a bold new initiative designed to place people first in the search for digital intelligence
-
Sudoku medium: November 7, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Codeword: November 7, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
