Ottawa, KS Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Ottawa, KS Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Kansas, 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 Ottawa is 86, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Ottawa ranks as the #21 cheapest in Kansas out of 64.

  • Ottawa ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ottawa is $227,532.

  • The median income in Ottawa is $64,655.

Table Of Contents

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

What is the cost of living in Ottawa, KS?

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

Compared to Kansas, Ottawa has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Kansas's index of 87.

The standard of living in Ottawa ranks as #21 most affordable out of the 64 places we measured in Kansas. By definition, that implies Ottawa ranks as the #43 most expensive place in the Sunflower State.

For more reading on life in Ottawa, check out:

21 out of 64
In Kansas
639 out of 6,489
In America

Ottawa Cost Of Living Vs. Kansas

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

  • The Services index in Ottawa is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Ottawa is 98.

  • The Health index in Ottawa is 85.

  • The Housing index in Ottawa is 66.

  • The Transportation index in Ottawa is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Ottawa is 110.

Living Expense Ottawa Kansas National Average
Overall 86 87 100
Services 93 93 100
Groceries 98 98 100
Health 85 98 100
Housing 66 78 100
Transportation 90 88 100
Utilities 110 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kansas, check out:
Ottawa Cost of Living Vs. KS

Ottawa, KS Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kansas, 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 Ottawa is $227,532.

  • The Median Rent in Ottawa is $949.

  • The Median Income in Ottawa is $64,655.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ottawa is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ottawa is 0.18x.

Statistic Ottawa Kansas United States
Median Home Value $227,532 $239,913 $303,400
Median Rent $949 $1,029 $1,348
Median Income $64,655 $72,639 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x
$227,532
Median Home Value
$949
Median Rent
$64,655
Median Income

Ottawa, KS Costs By Category

Detailed Ottawa Services Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Ottawa Kansas
Shampoo $1.42 $1.28
Movie $12.03 $12.13
Bowling $15.57 $18
Haircut $20.3 $24.26
Beauty Salon $33.43 $45.56

Detailed Ottawa Groceries Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Ottawa Kansas
Ground Beef $6.31 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.62 $4.67
Potatoes $5.24 $4.93
Pizza $11.48 $12.09
Beer $9.39 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.7 $3.7

Detailed Ottawa Health Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Ottawa Kansas
Optometrist $96.5 $125.68
Doctor $90.2 $135.78
Dentist $100.33 $113.29

Detailed Ottawa Transportation Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Ottawa Kansas
Gasoline $3.17 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.17 $59.92

Detailed Ottawa Utilities Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Ottawa Kansas
All Electricity $217.1 $193.99
Phone $199.94 $192.25

Ottawa SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ottawa

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

  • Olathe, KS has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Ottawa.

  • Shawnee, KS has a cost of living index of 105, 1.2x Ottawa.

  • Lenexa, KS has a cost of living index of 109, 1.3x Ottawa.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ottawa
Olathe, KS 143,720 106 1.2x
Shawnee, KS 68,175 105 1.2x
Lenexa, KS 57,986 109 1.3x
Leawood, KS 33,844 134 1.6x
Gardner, KS 24,020 97 1.1x
Raymore, MO 23,849 102 1.2x
Spring Hill, KS 8,691 103 1.2x
Eudora, KS 6,036 95 1.1x

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