The big cities with the most affordable rent prices are ...

Your rent check is probably one of your biggest (and often most dreaded) expenses. And, depending on where you live, this expense can take up a sizable amount of your paycheck. But it's an essential, so every month, we write that check.

That said, how much your budget can truly afford for rent each month is probably one of the biggest considerations you'll make if it comes time to relocate. Well, that and if your credit is in a good enough place to even get your application approved for some new digs. (Not sure about that last part? You can take a look at two of your free credit scores, updated every 14 days, on Credit.com and come fully prepared to the meeting with your real estate agent.)

And what if it's time not just for a new apartment but for a new city altogether? Whether you're looking to move to a new city to help further your career or simply because you're ready for a change of scenery, affordability is a big deal. And that's where this list of just how affordable it is to rent a one-bedroom apartment in 20 of the biggest U.S. cities can come in handy.

RELATED: The most and least expensive cities to live in:

This list comes from AppFolio, an online property management company. AppFolio commissioned data from Axiometrics to find the effective rent growth (ERG) and average monthly rent figures. The ERG is based on data from Oct. to Dec. 2016 while all other data is from Dec. 2016. The rent-to-income affordability calculations are based on the percentage of the average monthly household income in that city that is put toward the average monthly apartment rent bill, according to data from the Housing and Transportation Affordability Index.

According to this study, New York City and Miami are two of the most rent-burdened cities, with many residents spending more than half of their monthly income on rent. Read on to find out where the rest of the 20 major U.S. cities rank and which is deemed the most affordable.

1. Las Vegas

Average Rent-to-Income: 20%

Average Monthly Rent: $933

2. Indianapolis

Average Rent-to-Income: 21%

Average Monthly Rent: $820

3. Phoenix

Average Rent-to-Income: 22%

Average Monthly Rent: $966

4. Raleigh, North Carolina

Average Rent-to-Income: 23%

Average Monthly Rent: $1,037

5. Atlanta

Average Rent-to-Income: 23%

Average Monthly Rent: $1,114

You can find the full list of big cities with the least/most affordable rents at Credit.com.

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This article originally appeared on Credit.com.