Salina, KS Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Salina, KS Summary

Cost of living in Salina 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 Salina 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 Salina is 85, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Salina ranks as the #17 cheapest in Kansas out of 64.

  • Salina ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Salina is $174,020.

  • The median income in Salina is $60,624.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
85
Salina's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Salina, KS?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Salina has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Salina ranks as #17 most affordable out of the 64 places we measured in Kansas. By definition, that implies Salina ranks as the #47 most expensive place in the Sunflower State.

For more reading on life in Salina, check out:

17 out of 64
In Kansas
511 out of 6,489
In America

Salina Cost Of Living Vs. Kansas

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

  • The Services index in Salina is 86.

  • The Groceries index in Salina is 96.

  • The Health index in Salina is 101.

  • The Housing index in Salina is 76.

  • The Transportation index in Salina is 91.

  • The Utilities index in Salina is 109.

Living Expense Salina Kansas National Average
Overall 85 87 100
Services 86 93 100
Groceries 96 98 100
Health 101 98 100
Housing 76 78 100
Transportation 91 88 100
Utilities 109 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around Kansas, check out:
Salina Cost of Living Vs. KS

Salina, 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 Salina is $174,020.

  • The Median Rent in Salina is $911.

  • The Median Income in Salina is $60,624.

  • The Home Value To Income in Salina is 2.9x.

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

Statistic Salina Kansas United States
Median Home Value $174,020 $239,913 $303,400
Median Rent $911 $1,029 $1,348
Median Income $60,624 $72,639 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.9x 3.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x
$174,020
Median Home Value
$911
Median Rent
$60,624
Median Income

Salina, KS Costs By Category

Detailed Salina Services Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Salina Kansas
Shampoo $1.19 $1.28
Movie $6.86 $12.13
Bowling $10.0 $18
Haircut $19.18 $24.26
Beauty Salon $27.05 $45.56

Detailed Salina Groceries Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Salina Kansas
Ground Beef $5.65 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.32 $1.57
Milk $4.57 $4.67
Potatoes $4.28 $4.93
Pizza $12.16 $12.09
Beer $9.72 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.8 $3.7

Detailed Salina Health Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Salina Kansas
Optometrist $191.11 $125.68
Doctor $142.61 $135.78
Dentist $89.0 $113.29

Detailed Salina Transportation Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Salina Kansas
Gasoline $3.18 $3.46
Tire Balancing $51.4 $59.92

Detailed Salina Utilities Costs Vs. Kansas

Item Salina Kansas
All Electricity $215.77 $193.99
Phone $201.84 $192.25

Salina SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Salina

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

  • Frederick, MD has a cost of living index of 120, 1.4x Salina.

  • McPherson, KS has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Salina.

  • Fort Riley, KS has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Salina.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Salina
Frederick, MD 80,617 120 1.4x
McPherson, KS 13,956 90 1.1x
Fort Riley, KS 8,595 102 1.2x
Abilene, KS 6,449 84 1.0x

Articles About Kansas

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