East Lansing, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In East Lansing, MI Summary

Cost of living in East Lansing 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 East Lansing 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 East Lansing is 95, with 100 being the average.

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

  • East Lansing ranks as the #124 cheapest in Michigan out of 175.

  • East Lansing ranks as the #2,449 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in East Lansing is $203,400.

  • The median income in East Lansing is $41,177.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
East Lansing's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in East Lansing, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, East Lansing has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, East Lansing has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Michigan's index of 92.

The standard of living in East Lansing ranks as #124 most affordable out of the 175 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies East Lansing ranks as the #51 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in East Lansing, check out:

124 out of 175
In Michigan
2,449 out of 6,412
In America

East Lansing Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in East Lansing is 96.

  • The Groceries index in East Lansing is 87.

  • The Health index in East Lansing is 93.

  • The Housing index in East Lansing is 97.

  • The Transportation index in East Lansing is 105.

  • The Utilities index in East Lansing is 99.

Living Expense East Lansing Michigan National Average
Overall 95 92 100
Services 96 96 100
Groceries 87 96 100
Health 93 94 100
Housing 97 80 100
Transportation 105 97 100
Utilities 99 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
East Lansing Cost of Living Vs. MI

East Lansing, 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 East Lansing is $203,400.

  • The Median Rent in East Lansing is $990.

  • The Median Income in East Lansing is $41,177.

  • The Home Value To Income in East Lansing is 4.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in East Lansing is 0.29x.

Statistic East Lansing Michigan United States
Median Home Value $203,400 $172,100 $244,900
Median Rent $990 $946 $1,163
Median Income $41,177 $63,202 $69,021
Home Value To Income 4.9x 2.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In East Lansing, MI
$203,400
Median Home Value
$990
Median Rent
$41,177
Median Income

East Lansing, MI Costs By Category

Detailed East Lansing Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item East Lansing Michigan
Shampoo $0.89 $1.06
Movie $11.37 $10.68
Bowling $16.78 $14.67
Haircut $20.22 $18.62
Beauty Salon $32.55 $39.05

Detailed East Lansing Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item East Lansing Michigan
Ground Beef $4.5 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.12 $1.39
Milk $1.59 $2.05
Potatoes $2.75 $3.29
Pizza $10.16 $10.62
Beer $8.21 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.98 $2.34

Detailed East Lansing Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item East Lansing Michigan
Optometrist $105.11 $108.57
Doctor $98.0 $116.17
Dentist $94.78 $99.13

Detailed East Lansing Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item East Lansing Michigan
Gasoline $2.23 $2.22
Tire Balancing $60.0 $50.07

Detailed East Lansing Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item East Lansing Michigan
All Electricity $170.23 $167.67
Phone $181.0 $175.64

East Lansing SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
7
Amenities
9.5
Education
10
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around East Lansing

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

  • Lansing, MI has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x East Lansing.

  • Holt, MI has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x East Lansing.

  • Okemos, MI has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x East Lansing.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. East Lansing
Lansing, MI 113,592 85 0.9x
Holt, MI 25,755 86 0.9x
Okemos, MI 25,179 101 1.1x
Waverly, MI 23,328 94 1.0x
Haslett, MI 19,333 93 1.0x
Mason, MI 8,307 85 0.9x
Grand Ledge, MI 7,792 87 0.9x
St. Johns, MI 7,700 90 0.9x
Eaton Rapids, MI 5,211 78 0.8x

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