Kalamazoo, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Kalamazoo, MI Summary

Cost of living in Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo is 87, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kalamazoo is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Kalamazoo ranks as the #50 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Kalamazoo ranks as the #777 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kalamazoo is $239,244.

  • The median income in Kalamazoo is $48,965.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
87
Kalamazoo's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kalamazoo, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kalamazoo has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Kalamazoo has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Kalamazoo ranks as #50 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Kalamazoo ranks as the #130 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Kalamazoo, check out:

50 out of 180
In Michigan
777 out of 6,489
In America

Kalamazoo Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Kalamazoo is 91.

  • The Groceries index in Kalamazoo is 97.

  • The Health index in Kalamazoo is 92.

  • The Housing index in Kalamazoo is 67.

  • The Transportation index in Kalamazoo is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Kalamazoo is 102.

Living Expense Kalamazoo Michigan National Average
Overall 87 90 100
Services 91 93 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 92 91 100
Housing 67 72 100
Transportation 95 96 100
Utilities 102 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Kalamazoo Cost of Living Vs. MI

Kalamazoo, 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 Kalamazoo is $239,244.

  • The Median Rent in Kalamazoo is $1,031.

  • The Median Income in Kalamazoo is $48,965.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kalamazoo is 4.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kalamazoo is 0.25x.

Statistic Kalamazoo Michigan United States
Median Home Value $239,244 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,031 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $48,965 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.9x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.18x 0.21x
$239,244
Median Home Value
$1,031
Median Rent
$48,965
Median Income

Kalamazoo, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Kalamazoo Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Kalamazoo 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 Kalamazoo Health Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Kalamazoo Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Kalamazoo Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Kalamazoo SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
2
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kalamazoo

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

  • Battle Creek, MI has a cost of living index of 81, 0.9x Kalamazoo.

  • Portage, MI has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Kalamazoo.

  • Westwood, MI has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Kalamazoo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kalamazoo
Battle Creek, MI 52,392 81 0.9x
Portage, MI 49,015 94 1.1x
Westwood, MI 8,968 91 1.0x
Eastwood, MI 6,704 82 0.9x
Springfield, MI 5,295 83 1.0x
Comstock Northwest, MI 5,190 90 1.0x

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