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Travel + Leisure

This Southern City Has the Lowest Cost of Living in the U.S.—and It's Close to the Beach

Doing just about anything feels expensive these days. From the price of daily treats like a latte, reaching $5.46, to the cost of larger ticket items, like a vacation, hitting record highs, everything can feel out of reach. There is, however, one way to make life feel a bit more affordable, and that's by relocating to an area where the cost of living is still reasonable. Each year, ranks the cities with the lowest cost of living across the U.S. after considering key factors, including housing, food and gas costs, and the median tax rates. After analyzing all the data, named Brownsville, Texas, as the city with the lowest cost of living in the U.S. The city in Cameron County, home to approximately 188,000 residents, is situated at the tip of the state, near the Gulf Coast, on the U.S.-Mexico border. More importantly, though, it is known as the "taco capital of Texas" and has its own taco trail. Brownsville also ranked highly (No. 16 overall) on Niche's list of the Best Cities to Buy a House in America, thanks to its affordable pricing, with a median home value of just about $122,000 and a median rent of $906. It's also a great place for families, ranking No. 77 on the website's list of Cities with the Best Public Schools in America, with many of its public schools earning A or A+ grades. A,nd it's not just Niche that's singing its praises, residents are, too. "I've lived in Brownsville my whole life, and if you are looking for a small city, this is the city for you," one community member shared on the site. "It has beautiful culture and history, with multiple beaches nearby, making for a small tourist area. It's the perfect balance between a small city and urban landscape, where community is strong." Last year, investment website Insider Monkey named Brownsville the best Southern city to retire in for less than $1,500 a month, reporting that its cost of living is 25 percent lower than the national average. However, Brownsville isn't the only city in Texas that made it to the top of list—Wichita Falls, a town located north of Fort Worth, ranked second. Evansville, Indiana; South Bend, Indiana; and Dayton, Ohio; rounded out the top five. See the full report at