Cost of living in Ann Arbor 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 Ann Arbor 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 Ann Arbor is 124, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Ann Arbor is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Ann Arbor ranks as the #174 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.
Ann Arbor ranks as the #4,654 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Ann Arbor is $514,905.
The median income in Ann Arbor is $81,089.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ann Arbor has an overall cost of living index of 124, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Michigan, Ann Arbor has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Michigan's index of 90.
The standard of living in Ann Arbor ranks as #174 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Ann Arbor ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Ann Arbor, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Ann Arbor. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Ann Arbor is 100.
The Groceries index in Ann Arbor is 105.
The Health index in Ann Arbor is 101.
The Housing index in Ann Arbor is 172.
The Transportation index in Ann Arbor is 100.
The Utilities index in Ann Arbor is 93.
| Living Expense | Ann Arbor | Michigan | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 124 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 172 | 72 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 99 | 100 | |
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 Ann Arbor is $514,905.
The Median Rent in Ann Arbor is $1,552.
The Median Income in Ann Arbor is $81,089.
The Home Value To Income in Ann Arbor is 6.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Ann Arbor is 0.23x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Ann Arbor. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Westland, MI has a cost of living index of 95, 0.8x Ann Arbor.
Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x Ann Arbor.
Ypsilanti, MI has a cost of living index of 97, 0.8x Ann Arbor.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Ann Arbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westland, MI | 84,155 | 95 | 0.8x |
| Novi, MI | 66,224 | 118 | 1.0x |
| Ypsilanti, MI | 19,937 | 97 | 0.8x |
| Wixom, MI | 17,126 | 109 | 0.9x |
| South Lyon, MI | 11,825 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Plymouth, MI | 9,234 | 119 | 1.0x |
| Saline, MI | 8,976 | 110 | 0.9x |
| Whitmore Lake, MI | 8,083 | 102 | 0.8x |
| Northville, MI | 6,080 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Milan, MI | 6,070 | 98 | 0.8x |