Rochester, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Rochester, MI Summary

Cost of living in Rochester 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 Rochester 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 Rochester is 125, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Rochester is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Rochester ranks as the #176 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Rochester ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rochester is $479,465.

  • The median income in Rochester is $104,920.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
125
Rochester's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rochester, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rochester has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Rochester has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Rochester ranks as #176 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Rochester ranks as the #4 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Rochester, check out:

176 out of 180
In Michigan
4,715 out of 6,489
In America

Rochester Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Rochester is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Rochester is 104.

  • The Health index in Rochester is 104.

  • The Housing index in Rochester is 180.

  • The Transportation index in Rochester is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Rochester is 96.

Living Expense Rochester Michigan National Average
Overall 125 90 100
Services 104 93 100
Groceries 104 97 100
Health 104 91 100
Housing 180 72 100
Transportation 98 96 100
Utilities 96 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Rochester Cost of Living Vs. MI

Rochester, 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 Rochester is $479,465.

  • The Median Rent in Rochester is $1,201.

  • The Median Income in Rochester is $104,920.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rochester is 4.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rochester is 0.14x.

Statistic Rochester Michigan United States
Median Home Value $479,465 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,201 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $104,920 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.18x 0.21x
$479,465
Median Home Value
$1,201
Median Rent
$104,920
Median Income

Rochester, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Rochester Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Rochester 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 Rochester Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Rochester 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 Rochester Health Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Rochester Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Detailed Rochester Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

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

Rochester SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8
Diversity
7
Safety
9
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rochester

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

  • Sterling Heights, MI has a cost of living index of 104, 0.8x Rochester.

  • Troy, MI has a cost of living index of 120, 1.0x Rochester.

  • Farmington Hills, MI has a cost of living index of 114, 0.9x Rochester.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rochester
Sterling Heights, MI 133,473 104 0.8x
Troy, MI 87,307 120 1.0x
Farmington Hills, MI 83,316 114 0.9x
Rochester Hills, MI 76,086 118 0.9x
Pontiac, MI 61,914 84 0.7x
Royal Oak, MI 57,880 107 0.9x
Auburn Hills, MI 24,911 102 0.8x
Birmingham, MI 21,612 149 1.2x
Berkley, MI 15,084 108 0.9x
Clawson, MI 11,314 99 0.8x

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