20 American cities where life is quickly getting more expensive for the middle class

• A big cost of living increase hit the middle class in some American cities.
• To live comfortably, the average person should earn twice as much as their yearly expenses.
• In these 20 cities, the income required to live comfortably increased at least 23% between 2017 and 2018.

Staying comfortable at home with a stable budget is challenging in cities where the cost of living increases faster than your pay check.

In its latest report, GOBankingRates found the US cities where cost of living is rising the fastest for the middle class. The list was determined by the average person's ability to "live comfortably," or abide by the 50-30-20 plan.

The 50-30-20 plan means spending 50% of your income on necessities like food and transportation, 30% on splurges like entertainment or bar hopping, and putting the remaining 20% toward savings or paying off debt. To successfully follow the 50-30-20 rule, a person would need to earn twice as much as their yearly expenses.

GOBankingRates compared the income amounts needed to live comfortably in 2017 and 2018 - based on costs including rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare - to find the cities where cost of living increased the most for a person earning the median income.

Southwest cities are seeing the biggest spike in living expenses. Four cities in Texas made the top 20, with cost of living rising more than 23% in the past year, largely thanks to an increase in housing and car costs.

Check out the top 20 cities in America where life is becoming more expensive for the middle class, ranked by the cost of living increase over the last year. We've included the income needed to cover necessities, splurges, and savings.