Chelsea, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Chelsea, MI Summary

Cost of living in Chelsea 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 Chelsea 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 Chelsea is 110, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chelsea is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Chelsea ranks as the #161 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Chelsea ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chelsea is $407,713.

  • The median income in Chelsea is $71,702.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
110
Chelsea's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Chelsea, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chelsea has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Chelsea has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Chelsea ranks as #161 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Chelsea ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Chelsea, check out:

161 out of 180
In Michigan
3,657 out of 6,489
In America

Chelsea Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Chelsea is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Chelsea is 104.

  • The Health index in Chelsea is 100.

  • The Housing index in Chelsea is 137.

  • The Transportation index in Chelsea is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Chelsea is 94.

Living Expense Chelsea Michigan National Average
Overall 110 90 100
Services 101 93 100
Groceries 104 97 100
Health 100 91 100
Housing 137 72 100
Transportation 101 96 100
Utilities 94 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Chelsea Cost of Living Vs. MI

Chelsea, 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 Chelsea is $407,713.

  • The Median Rent in Chelsea is $1,543.

  • The Median Income in Chelsea is $71,702.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chelsea is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chelsea is 0.26x.

Statistic Chelsea Michigan United States
Median Home Value $407,713 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,543 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $71,702 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.7x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.18x 0.21x
$407,713
Median Home Value
$1,543
Median Rent
$71,702
Median Income

Chelsea, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Chelsea Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Chelsea Michigan
Shampoo $1.13 $1.28
Movie $12.99 $12.13
Bowling $12.33 $18
Haircut $16.8 $24.26
Beauty Salon $24.78 $45.56

Detailed Chelsea Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Chelsea Michigan
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $4.8 $4.93
Pizza $8.99 $12.09
Beer $9.04 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Chelsea Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Chelsea Michigan
Optometrist $85.0 $125.68
Doctor $103.33 $135.78
Dentist $91.0 $113.29

Detailed Chelsea Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Chelsea Michigan
Gasoline $3.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.0 $59.92

Detailed Chelsea Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Chelsea Michigan
All Electricity $219.2 $193.99
Phone $184.44 $192.25

Chelsea SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
5
Diversity
4
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chelsea

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

  • Ann Arbor, MI has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Chelsea.

  • Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 120, 1.1x Chelsea.

  • Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.1x Chelsea.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chelsea
Ann Arbor, MI 121,179 124 1.1x
Troy, MI 87,307 120 1.1x
Novi, MI 66,224 118 1.1x
Royal Oak, MI 57,880 107 1.0x
Birmingham, MI 21,612 149 1.4x
Sylvania, OH 19,038 98 0.9x
Berkley, MI 15,084 108 1.0x
Clawson, MI 11,314 99 0.9x
Plymouth, MI 9,234 119 1.1x
Saline, MI 8,976 110 1.0x

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