St. Joseph, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In St. Joseph, MI Summary

Cost of living in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph is 96, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in St. Joseph is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • St. Joseph ranks as the #109 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • St. Joseph ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. Joseph is $328,351.

  • The median income in St. Joseph is $77,765.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
96
St. Joseph's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in St. Joseph, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Joseph has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, St. Joseph has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in St. Joseph ranks as #109 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies St. Joseph ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in St. Joseph, check out:

109 out of 180
In Michigan
2,104 out of 6,489
In America

St. Joseph Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in St. Joseph is 88.

  • The Groceries index in St. Joseph is 98.

  • The Health index in St. Joseph is 86.

  • The Housing index in St. Joseph is 101.

  • The Transportation index in St. Joseph is 96.

  • The Utilities index in St. Joseph is 108.

Living Expense St. Joseph Michigan National Average
Overall 96 90 100
Services 88 93 100
Groceries 98 97 100
Health 86 91 100
Housing 101 72 100
Transportation 96 96 100
Utilities 108 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
St. Joseph Cost of Living Vs. MI

St. Joseph, 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 St. Joseph is $328,351.

  • The Median Rent in St. Joseph is $1,079.

  • The Median Income in St. Joseph is $77,765.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. Joseph is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Joseph is 0.17x.

Statistic St. Joseph Michigan United States
Median Home Value $328,351 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $1,079 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $77,765 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.2x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.18x 0.21x
$328,351
Median Home Value
$1,079
Median Rent
$77,765
Median Income

St. Joseph, MI Costs By Category

Detailed St. Joseph Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item St. Joseph Michigan
Shampoo $1.14 $1.28
Movie $8.35 $12.13
Bowling $16.07 $18
Haircut $19.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $26.42 $45.56

Detailed St. Joseph Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item St. Joseph Michigan
Ground Beef $6.62 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.65 $4.67
Potatoes $4.58 $4.93
Pizza $11.14 $12.09
Beer $9.06 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.59 $3.7

Detailed St. Joseph Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item St. Joseph Michigan
Optometrist $74.5 $125.68
Doctor $121.31 $135.78
Dentist $112.0 $113.29

Detailed St. Joseph Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item St. Joseph Michigan
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.56 $59.92

Detailed St. Joseph Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item St. Joseph Michigan
All Electricity $205.85 $193.99
Phone $184.44 $192.25

St. Joseph SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8
Diversity
7
Safety
7
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. Joseph

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

  • Kalamazoo, MI has a cost of living index of 87, 0.9x St. Joseph.

  • Portage, MI has a cost of living index of 94, 1.0x St. Joseph.

  • Goshen, IN has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x St. Joseph.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. Joseph
Kalamazoo, MI 73,132 87 0.9x
Portage, MI 49,015 94 1.0x
Goshen, IN 34,374 88 0.9x
Granger, IN 30,279 102 1.1x
Chesterton, IN 14,326 107 1.1x
Benton Harbor, MI 9,023 78 0.8x
Westwood, MI 8,968 91 0.9x
Fair Plain, MI 6,992 84 0.9x
Dunlap, IN 6,602 91 0.9x
Westville, IN 5,291 86 0.9x

Articles About Michigan

Enjoy The Snack?