Flint, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Flint, MI Summary

Cost of living in Flint 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 Flint 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 Flint is 81, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Flint ranks as the #11 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Flint ranks as the #158 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Flint is $63,774.

  • The median income in Flint is $36,194.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Flint's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Flint, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Flint has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Flint ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Flint ranks as the #169 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Flint, check out:

11 out of 180
In Michigan
158 out of 6,489
In America

Flint Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Flint is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Flint is 103.

  • The Health index in Flint is 104.

  • The Housing index in Flint is 35.

  • The Transportation index in Flint is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Flint is 95.

Living Expense Flint Michigan National Average
Overall 81 90 100
Services 100 93 100
Groceries 103 97 100
Health 104 91 100
Housing 35 72 100
Transportation 101 96 100
Utilities 95 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Flint Cost of Living Vs. MI

Flint, 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 Flint is $63,774.

  • The Median Rent in Flint is $859.

  • The Median Income in Flint is $36,194.

  • The Home Value To Income in Flint is 1.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Flint is 0.28x.

Statistic Flint Michigan United States
Median Home Value $63,774 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $859 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $36,194 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 1.8x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.18x 0.21x
$63,774
Median Home Value
$859
Median Rent
$36,194
Median Income

Flint, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Flint Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Flint 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 Flint Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Flint 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 Flint Health Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Flint Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Flint Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Flint SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
9
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
4
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Flint

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

  • Burton, MI has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Flint.

  • Fenton, MI has a cost of living index of 96, 1.2x Flint.

  • Lapeer, MI has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Flint.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Flint
Burton, MI 29,529 90 1.1x
Fenton, MI 11,950 96 1.2x
Lapeer, MI 9,053 92 1.1x
Beecher, MI 8,507 82 1.0x
Flushing, MI 8,323 91 1.1x
Grand Blanc, MI 7,995 99 1.2x
Lake Fenton, MI 6,168 111 1.4x
Holly, MI 5,971 95 1.2x
Swartz Creek, MI 5,856 94 1.2x
Davison, MI 5,082 93 1.1x

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