Kalamazoo, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Kalamazoo, MI Summary

Cost of living in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo is 81, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kalamazoo is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Kalamazoo ranks as the #22 cheapest in Michigan out of 175.

  • Kalamazoo ranks as the #290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kalamazoo is $125,900.

  • The median income in Kalamazoo is $44,296.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Kalamazoo's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kalamazoo, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kalamazoo has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Kalamazoo ranks as #22 most affordable out of the 175 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Kalamazoo ranks as the #153 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Kalamazoo, check out:

22 out of 175
In Michigan
290 out of 6,412
In America

Kalamazoo Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Kalamazoo is 86.

  • The Groceries index in Kalamazoo is 78.

  • The Health index in Kalamazoo is 92.

  • The Housing index in Kalamazoo is 60.

  • The Transportation index in Kalamazoo is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Kalamazoo is 101.

Living Expense Kalamazoo Michigan National Average
Overall 81 92 100
Services 86 96 100
Groceries 78 96 100
Health 92 94 100
Housing 60 80 100
Transportation 98 97 100
Utilities 101 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Kalamazoo Cost of Living Vs. MI

Kalamazoo, 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 Kalamazoo is $125,900.

  • The Median Rent in Kalamazoo is $869.

  • The Median Income in Kalamazoo is $44,296.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kalamazoo is 2.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kalamazoo is 0.24x.

Statistic Kalamazoo Michigan United States
Median Home Value $125,900 $172,100 $244,900
Median Rent $869 $946 $1,163
Median Income $44,296 $63,202 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.8x 2.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Kalamazoo, MI
$125,900
Median Home Value
$869
Median Rent
$44,296
Median Income

Kalamazoo, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Kalamazoo Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo Michigan
Shampoo $0.88 $1.06
Movie $8.95 $10.68
Bowling $16.39 $14.67
Haircut $16.14 $18.62
Beauty Salon $19.0 $39.05

Detailed Kalamazoo Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo Michigan
Ground Beef $3.83 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.1 $1.39
Milk $1.5 $2.05
Potatoes $2.73 $3.29
Pizza $9.99 $10.62
Beer $8.21 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.03 $2.34

Detailed Kalamazoo Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo Michigan
Optometrist $63.31 $108.57
Doctor $102.79 $116.17
Dentist $98.94 $99.13

Detailed Kalamazoo Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo Michigan
Gasoline $2.02 $2.22
Tire Balancing $54.29 $50.07

Detailed Kalamazoo Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo Michigan
All Electricity $167.02 $167.67
Phone $178.81 $175.64

Kalamazoo SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
2
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kalamazoo

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

  • Battle Creek, MI has a cost of living index of 80, 1.0x Kalamazoo.

  • Portage, MI has a cost of living index of 87, 1.1x Kalamazoo.

  • Westwood, MI has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x Kalamazoo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kalamazoo
Battle Creek, MI 52,434 80 1.0x
Portage, MI 48,767 87 1.1x
Westwood, MI 8,920 83 1.0x
Eastwood, MI 6,569 79 1.0x
Comstock Northwest, MI 5,438 84 1.0x
Springfield, MI 5,268 72 0.9x

Articles About Michigan

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