Lafayette, IN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Lafayette, IN Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Indiana, 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 Lafayette is 92, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Lafayette ranks as the #71 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.

  • Lafayette ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lafayette is $258,978.

  • The median income in Lafayette is $52,946.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
92
Lafayette's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lafayette, IN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lafayette has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Indiana, Lafayette has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Indiana's index of 92.

The standard of living in Lafayette ranks as #71 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Lafayette ranks as the #57 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.

For more reading on life in Lafayette, check out:

71 out of 128
In Indiana
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

Lafayette Cost Of Living Vs. Indiana

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

  • The Services index in Lafayette is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Lafayette is 97.

  • The Health index in Lafayette is 108.

  • The Housing index in Lafayette is 74.

  • The Transportation index in Lafayette is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Lafayette is 110.

Living Expense Lafayette Indiana National Average
Overall 92 92 100
Services 97 95 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 108 94 100
Housing 74 73 100
Transportation 98 94 100
Utilities 110 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around Indiana, check out:
Lafayette Cost of Living Vs. IN

Lafayette, IN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Indiana, 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 Lafayette is $258,978.

  • The Median Rent in Lafayette is $1,039.

  • The Median Income in Lafayette is $52,946.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lafayette is 4.9x.

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

Statistic Lafayette Indiana United States
Median Home Value $258,978 $251,301 $303,400
Median Rent $1,039 $1,020 $1,348
Median Income $52,946 $70,051 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.9x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.17x 0.21x
$258,978
Median Home Value
$1,039
Median Rent
$52,946
Median Income

Lafayette, IN Costs By Category

Detailed Lafayette Services Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Lafayette Indiana
Shampoo $1.21 $1.28
Movie $9.09 $12.13
Bowling $19.27 $18
Haircut $21.11 $24.26
Beauty Salon $34.91 $45.56

Detailed Lafayette Groceries Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Lafayette Indiana
Ground Beef $5.9 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.52 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $5.0 $4.93
Pizza $11.42 $12.09
Beer $9.83 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Lafayette Health Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Lafayette Indiana
Optometrist $121.07 $125.68
Doctor $123.38 $135.78
Dentist $140.03 $113.29

Detailed Lafayette Transportation Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Lafayette Indiana
Gasoline $3.46 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.36 $59.92

Detailed Lafayette Utilities Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Lafayette Indiana
All Electricity $223.79 $193.99
Phone $190.17 $192.25

Lafayette SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lafayette

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

  • Carmel, IN has a cost of living index of 119, 1.3x Lafayette.

  • Westfield, IN has a cost of living index of 114, 1.2x Lafayette.

  • West Lafayette, IN has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Lafayette.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lafayette
Carmel, IN 100,501 119 1.3x
Westfield, IN 51,109 114 1.2x
West Lafayette, IN 44,802 106 1.2x
Zionsville, IN 31,442 127 1.4x
Brownsburg, IN 30,310 101 1.1x
Crawfordsville, IN 16,408 87 0.9x
Frankfort, IN 15,536 87 0.9x
Danville, IN 11,049 98 1.1x
Monticello, IN 5,504 88 1.0x

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