Alma, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Alma, MI Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Michigan, 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 Alma is 82, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Alma ranks as the #17 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Alma ranks as the #221 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Alma is $161,003.

  • The median income in Alma is $50,506.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
82
Alma's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Alma, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Alma has an overall cost of living index of 82, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Alma has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Alma ranks as #17 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Alma ranks as the #163 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Alma, check out:

17 out of 180
In Michigan
221 out of 6,489
In America

Alma Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Alma is 91.

  • The Groceries index in Alma is 93.

  • The Health index in Alma is 92.

  • The Housing index in Alma is 52.

  • The Transportation index in Alma is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Alma is 102.

Living Expense Alma Michigan National Average
Overall 82 90 100
Services 91 93 100
Groceries 93 97 100
Health 92 91 100
Housing 52 72 100
Transportation 95 96 100
Utilities 102 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Alma Cost of Living Vs. MI

Alma, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Michigan, 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 Alma is $161,003.

  • The Median Rent in Alma is $791.

  • The Median Income in Alma is $50,506.

  • The Home Value To Income in Alma is 3.2x.

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

Statistic Alma Michigan United States
Median Home Value $161,003 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $791 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $50,506 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.18x 0.21x
$161,003
Median Home Value
$791
Median Rent
$50,506
Median Income

Alma, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Alma Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Alma Michigan
Shampoo $1.4 $1.28
Movie $11.22 $12.13
Bowling $22.17 $18
Haircut $24.53 $24.26
Beauty Salon $56.27 $45.56

Detailed Alma Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Alma Michigan
Ground Beef $5.51 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.69 $1.57
Milk $4.84 $4.67
Potatoes $4.77 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $9.38 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Alma Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Alma Michigan
Optometrist $91.4 $125.68
Doctor $139.14 $135.78
Dentist $120.35 $113.29

Detailed Alma Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Alma Michigan
Gasoline $3.42 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.57 $59.92

Detailed Alma Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Alma Michigan
All Electricity $180.47 $193.99
Phone $184.98 $192.25

Alma SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Alma

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

  • East Lansing, MI has a cost of living index of 98, 1.2x Alma.

  • Midland, MI has a cost of living index of 97, 1.2x Alma.

  • Okemos, MI has a cost of living index of 104, 1.3x Alma.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Alma
East Lansing, MI 45,394 98 1.2x
Midland, MI 42,461 97 1.2x
Okemos, MI 25,503 104 1.3x
Waverly, MI 23,301 95 1.2x
Mount Pleasant, MI 21,420 88 1.1x
Haslett, MI 19,025 97 1.2x
Flushing, MI 8,323 91 1.1x
Grand Ledge, MI 7,797 92 1.1x
St. Johns, MI 7,712 87 1.1x
Freeland, MI 7,562 100 1.2x

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