Top 10 US Cities With Affordable Accommodation and High Quality of Living

Moving to a new city means taking a whole lot of things into consideration. However, there's no denying that the city's accommodation options influence our decisions to a large extent. According to RentCafe, the ideal cities in the US to move to are mostly concentrated in the South. RentCafe ranked almost 136 localities based on the cost of living, local economy and quality of life to determine the best places for renters.

If you are planning to switch cities, here are the top 10 places with affordable accommodation options and lucrative career opportunities.

10. Minneapolis, MN

It is one of the most progressive cities in America and has the largest metro area in the Midwest. The quality of life is pretty high with a strong and dynamic economy. The city is surrounded by lakes which means that it offers amazing outdoors. One of the major reasons to move to the Midwest is the affordable rent. The price for a studio apartment in Minnesota is far less when compared to other coastal cities. Minneapolis has many Fortune 500 companies (Target and Xcel Energy are headquartered there) so the unemployment rate is low. The average apartment rent is $1,660. 

9.  Conroe TX

The city offers a 5% cheaper standard of living as compared to the national average with a thriving school system and abundant employment opportunities with rising payscales. The city is conveniently located near the state capital, Houston, so all world-class entertainment and dining experiences are a short drive away. Conroe TX also promises a great outdoor life with Lake Conroe, the Sam Houston National Forest and WG Jones State Forest surrounding the city. The average house rent in Conroe is $1,364. 

8. San Francisco, CA

The city offers pleasant weather along with vibrant art and cultural life. You can enjoy fun activities like biking, surfing and kayaking as the city is home to numerous parks, including the famous Golden Gate Park. San Francisco is also rapidly growing as the rise of tech and entrepreneurship has immensely impacted the city with Apple, Google and Facebook setting headquarters or major offices there. The average house rent is $3313. 

7. Seattle, WA

This gem of a city offers great accommodation options. Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is the largest school district in Washington state with over 54,000 students in 103 schools. It's a great entrepreneurship hub with Amazon, Microsoft, Costco and Starbucks having their origin offices there. Seattle also has beautiful lush parks like the Olympic National Park while Elliott Bay and Lake Union are close by, enabling you to relax in the midst of nature. The average apartment rent is $2,233.

6. Arlington, VA

The city is an ideal fit for people looking to set up their careers in technology. The city is also has amazing neighborhoods and houses some of the state's biggest industries. The city's crime rate is also 61% lower than the national average. The average house rent is $2427. 

5. Raleigh, NC

The city scores high on the safety index and has been ranked second in the most educated US city list. It's a major hub for research and development and also houses the Research Triangle Park. The place also offers plenty of jobs in the field of tech and hence, young professionals can consider moving there. The average house rent is $1,612. 

4. Atlanta, GA

The city ranks high in terms of cost of living and also housing. The average house rent is $1846, per RentCafe and homes usually sell at around $400K, per CubeSmart.  The place is home to big companies like Coca-Cola, Delta, UPS, Home Depot and also Equifax. 

3. Scottsdale, AZ

The city is a luxurious destination with excellent public schools and high-end apartments as well as amazing resorts. Did we mention that it houses the "World's Finest Golf Destination" and also ranks third in the list by RentCafe.The average rent for an apartment in Scottsdale is $2,092. 

2. Plano, Texas

The city boasts of great transportation, a strong economy and beautiful sunny weather. It is dubbed the "City of Excellence" and scores pretty high when it comes to the local economy and the overall quality of life. It's the land of great academic achievers which makes it an ideal place to move in with your family as it boasts great public schools. The average house rent is $1,813, per RentCafe. 

1. Charleston, South Carolina 

Charleston is said to be the economic hub of South Carolina. Apartments in the city have an average rent of $1,938. The city's average house is pretty spacious and the coastal city also boasts an amazing nightlife. Charleston's unemployment rate is also pretty low, at just 3.4%.