Pontiac, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Pontiac, MI Summary

Cost of living in Pontiac 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 Pontiac 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 Pontiac is 84, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Pontiac ranks as the #32 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Pontiac ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Pontiac is $133,722.

  • The median income in Pontiac is $42,791.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Pontiac's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Pontiac, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Pontiac has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Pontiac ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Pontiac ranks as the #148 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Pontiac, check out:

32 out of 180
In Michigan
406 out of 6,489
In America

Pontiac Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Pontiac is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Pontiac is 104.

  • The Health index in Pontiac is 102.

  • The Housing index in Pontiac is 55.

  • The Transportation index in Pontiac is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Pontiac is 95.

Living Expense Pontiac Michigan National Average
Overall 84 90 100
Services 104 93 100
Groceries 104 97 100
Health 102 91 100
Housing 55 72 100
Transportation 102 96 100
Utilities 95 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Pontiac Cost of Living Vs. MI

Pontiac, 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 Pontiac is $133,722.

  • The Median Rent in Pontiac is $1,007.

  • The Median Income in Pontiac is $42,791.

  • The Home Value To Income in Pontiac is 3.1x.

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

Statistic Pontiac Michigan United States
Median Home Value $133,722 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,007 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $42,791 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.1x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.18x 0.21x
$133,722
Median Home Value
$1,007
Median Rent
$42,791
Median Income

Pontiac, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Pontiac Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Pontiac 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 Pontiac Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Pontiac 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 Pontiac Health Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Pontiac Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Pontiac Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Pontiac SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Pontiac

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

  • Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 120, 1.4x Pontiac.

  • Rochester Hills, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.4x Pontiac.

  • Novi, MI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.4x Pontiac.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Pontiac
Troy, MI 87,307 120 1.4x
Rochester Hills, MI 76,086 118 1.4x
Novi, MI 66,224 118 1.4x
Royal Oak, MI 57,880 107 1.3x
Auburn Hills, MI 24,911 102 1.2x
Birmingham, MI 21,612 149 1.8x
Berkley, MI 15,084 108 1.3x
Rochester, MI 12,939 125 1.5x
Clawson, MI 11,314 99 1.2x
Huntington Woods, MI 6,322 135 1.6x

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