Melvindale, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Melvindale, MI Summary

Cost of living in Melvindale 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 Melvindale 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 Melvindale is 86, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Melvindale ranks as the #46 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Melvindale ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Melvindale is $141,664.

  • The median income in Melvindale is $41,356.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
86
Melvindale's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Melvindale, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Melvindale has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Melvindale ranks as #46 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Melvindale ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Melvindale, check out:

46 out of 180
In Michigan
639 out of 6,489
In America

Melvindale Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Melvindale is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Melvindale is 103.

  • The Health index in Melvindale is 100.

  • The Housing index in Melvindale is 55.

  • The Transportation index in Melvindale is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Melvindale is 92.

Living Expense Melvindale Michigan National Average
Overall 86 90 100
Services 101 93 100
Groceries 103 97 100
Health 100 91 100
Housing 55 72 100
Transportation 102 96 100
Utilities 92 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Melvindale Cost of Living Vs. MI

Melvindale, 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 Melvindale is $141,664.

  • The Median Rent in Melvindale is $1,116.

  • The Median Income in Melvindale is $41,356.

  • The Home Value To Income in Melvindale is 3.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Melvindale is 0.32x.

Statistic Melvindale Michigan United States
Median Home Value $141,664 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,116 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $41,356 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.4x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.32x 0.18x 0.21x
$141,664
Median Home Value
$1,116
Median Rent
$41,356
Median Income

Melvindale, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Melvindale Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Melvindale 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 Melvindale Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Melvindale 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 Melvindale Health Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Melvindale Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Melvindale Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Melvindale SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
5
Affordability
7
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
4
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Melvindale

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

  • Dearborn, MI has a cost of living index of 98, 1.1x Melvindale.

  • Livonia, MI has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Melvindale.

  • Taylor, MI has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Melvindale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Melvindale
Dearborn, MI 107,846 98 1.1x
Livonia, MI 94,058 104 1.2x
Taylor, MI 62,405 90 1.0x
Dearborn Heights, MI 62,099 93 1.1x
Royal Oak, MI 57,880 107 1.2x
Lincoln Park, MI 39,511 88 1.0x
Southgate, MI 29,551 91 1.1x
Allen Park, MI 28,128 97 1.1x
Inkster, MI 25,602 86 1.0x
Wyandotte, MI 24,593 92 1.1x

Articles About Michigan

Enjoy The Snack?