Detroit, MI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Detroit, MI Summary

Cost of living in Detroit research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Detroit is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Michigan, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Detroit is 86, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Detroit is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Detroit ranks as the #53 cheapest in Michigan out of 175.

  • Detroit ranks as the #938 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Detroit is $57,700.

  • The median income in Detroit is $34,762.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
86
Detroit's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Detroit, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Detroit has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Detroit has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Michigan's index of 92.

The standard of living in Detroit ranks as #53 most affordable out of the 175 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Detroit ranks as the #122 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Detroit, check out:

53 out of 175
In Michigan
938 out of 6,412
In America

Detroit Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Detroit. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Detroit is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Detroit is 101.

  • The Health index in Detroit is 94.

  • The Housing index in Detroit is 40.

  • The Transportation index in Detroit is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Detroit is 95.

Living Expense Detroit Michigan National Average
Overall 86 92 100
Services 109 96 100
Groceries 101 96 100
Health 94 94 100
Housing 40 80 100
Transportation 107 97 100
Utilities 95 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Detroit Cost of Living Vs. MI

Detroit, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Michigan, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Detroit is $57,700.

  • The Median Rent in Detroit is $899.

  • The Median Income in Detroit is $34,762.

  • The Home Value To Income in Detroit is 1.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Detroit is 0.31x.

Statistic Detroit Michigan United States
Median Home Value $57,700 $172,100 $244,900
Median Rent $899 $946 $1,163
Median Income $34,762 $63,202 $69,021
Home Value To Income 1.7x 2.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.31x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Detroit, MI
$57,700
Median Home Value
$899
Median Rent
$34,762
Median Income

Detroit, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Detroit Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Detroit Michigan
Shampoo $0.94 $1.06
Movie $11.26 $10.68
Bowling $19.8 $14.67
Haircut $18.95 $18.62
Beauty Salon $54.27 $39.05

Detailed Detroit Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Detroit Michigan
Ground Beef $4.55 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.13 $1.39
Milk $1.44 $2.05
Potatoes $4.18 $3.29
Pizza $10.82 $10.62
Beer $8.42 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.43 $2.34

Detailed Detroit Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Detroit Michigan
Optometrist $81.52 $108.57
Doctor $104.59 $116.17
Dentist $99.57 $99.13

Detailed Detroit Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Detroit Michigan
Gasoline $2.25 $2.22
Tire Balancing $58.95 $50.07

Detailed Detroit Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Detroit Michigan
All Electricity $159.51 $167.67
Phone $178.81 $175.64

Detroit SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
5
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
5
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Detroit

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Detroit. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Dearborn, MI has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Detroit.

  • Livonia, MI has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Detroit.

  • Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 113, 1.3x Detroit.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Detroit
Dearborn, MI 107,985 96 1.1x
Livonia, MI 95,294 102 1.2x
Troy, MI 86,912 113 1.3x
Rochester Hills, MI 75,990 111 1.3x
Royal Oak, MI 58,368 101 1.2x
Oak Park, MI 29,677 93 1.1x
Hamtramck, MI 27,548 86 1.0x
Birmingham, MI 21,728 134 1.6x
Ferndale, MI 19,414 94 1.1x
Berkley, MI 15,234 102 1.2x

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