Salina, KS Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Salina. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Salina compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Salina, Kansas

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:

91 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#30 Cheapest in Kansas (of 65)
#1,207 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$173,120 Median home value
$959 Median rent
$61,783 Median income
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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 91, which is 0.9x 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 91.

The standard of living in Salina ranks as #30 most affordable out of the 65 places we measured in Kansas. By definition, that implies Salina ranks as the #35 most expensive place in the Sunflower State.

For more reading on life in Salina, check out:

Salina Cost Of Living Vs. Kansas

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

  • The Services index in Salina is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Salina is 96.

  • The Health index in Salina is 73.

  • The Housing index in Salina is 94.

  • The Transportation index in Salina is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Salina is 99.

Living Expense Salina Kansas National Average
Overall 91 91 100
Services 101 98 100
Groceries 96 97 100
Health 73 76 100
Housing 94 97 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 99 95 100

Salina Cost Of Living Compared To Kansas Averages

Services
Salina 101
Kansas avg 98
Groceries
Salina 96
Kansas avg 97
Health
Salina 73
Kansas avg 76
Housing
Salina 94
Kansas avg 97
Transportation
Salina 92
Kansas avg 93
Utilities
Salina 99
Kansas avg 95

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Kansas, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Salina, KS Housing Cost Breakdown

$173,120Median Home Value
$959Median Rent
$61,783Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Salina is $173,120.

  • The Median Rent in Salina is $959.

  • The Median Income in Salina is $61,783.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Salina is 0.19x.

Statistic Salina Kansas United States
Median Home Value $173,120 $244,761 $332,700
Median Rent $959 $1,060 $1,413
Median Income $61,783 $74,275 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.8x 3.3x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.17x 0.21x

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

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

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 118, 1.3x Salina.

  • McPherson, KS has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Salina.

  • Fort Riley, KS has a cost of living index of 103, 1.1x Salina.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Salina
Frederick, MD 83,395 118 1.3x
McPherson, KS 13,995 90 1.0x
Fort Riley, KS 8,606 103 1.1x
Abilene, KS 6,449 89 1.0x