New Haven, CT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In New Haven, CT Summary

Cost of living in New Haven 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 New Haven is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Connecticut, 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 New Haven is 110, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in New Haven is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • New Haven ranks as the #22 cheapest in Connecticut out of 56.

  • New Haven ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in New Haven is $320,181.

  • The median income in New Haven is $53,771.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
110
New Haven's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in New Haven, CT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, New Haven has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Connecticut, New Haven has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Connecticut's index of 119.

The standard of living in New Haven ranks as #22 most affordable out of the 56 places we measured in Connecticut. By definition, that implies New Haven ranks as the #34 most expensive place in the Constitution State.

For more reading on life in New Haven, check out:

22 out of 56
In Connecticut
3,657 out of 6,489
In America

New Haven Cost Of Living Vs. Connecticut

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

  • The Services index in New Haven is 107.

  • The Groceries index in New Haven is 97.

  • The Health index in New Haven is 111.

  • The Housing index in New Haven is 118.

  • The Transportation index in New Haven is 104.

  • The Utilities index in New Haven is 133.

Living Expense New Haven Connecticut National Average
Overall 110 119 100
Services 107 109 100
Groceries 97 100 100
Health 111 110 100
Housing 118 137 100
Transportation 104 101 100
Utilities 133 131 100
For more reading on cost of living around Connecticut, check out:
New Haven Cost of Living Vs. CT

New Haven, CT Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Connecticut, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in New Haven is $320,181.

  • The Median Rent in New Haven is $1,442.

  • The Median Income in New Haven is $53,771.

  • The Home Value To Income in New Haven is 6.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in New Haven is 0.32x.

Statistic New Haven Connecticut United States
Median Home Value $320,181 $430,086 $303,400
Median Rent $1,442 $1,431 $1,348
Median Income $53,771 $93,760 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.0x 4.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.32x 0.18x 0.21x
$320,181
Median Home Value
$1,442
Median Rent
$53,771
Median Income

New Haven, CT Costs By Category

Detailed New Haven Services Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item New Haven Connecticut
Shampoo $1.47 $1.28
Movie $15.07 $12.13
Bowling $24.0 $18
Haircut $39.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $69.0 $45.56

Detailed New Haven Groceries Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item New Haven Connecticut
Ground Beef $6.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.57
Milk $4.83 $4.67
Potatoes $5.03 $4.93
Pizza $13.21 $12.09
Beer $10.53 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.86 $3.7

Detailed New Haven Health Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item New Haven Connecticut
Optometrist $134.7 $125.68
Doctor $162.26 $135.78
Dentist $136.03 $113.29

Detailed New Haven Transportation Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item New Haven Connecticut
Gasoline $3.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.33 $59.92

Detailed New Haven Utilities Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item New Haven Connecticut
All Electricity $296.64 $193.99
Phone $185.16 $192.25

New Haven SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
7
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around New Haven

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

  • West Haven, CT has a cost of living index of 112, 1.0x New Haven.

  • Shelton, CT has a cost of living index of 131, 1.2x New Haven.

  • East Haven, CT has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x New Haven.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. New Haven
West Haven, CT 55,147 112 1.0x
Shelton, CT 41,402 131 1.2x
East Haven, CT 27,729 115 1.0x
North Haven, CT 24,177 124 1.1x
Ansonia, CT 18,951 110 1.0x
Wallingford Center, CT 18,107 114 1.0x
Orange, CT 14,251 136 1.2x
Derby, CT 12,359 112 1.0x
Branford Center, CT 6,130 118 1.1x

Articles About Connecticut

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