Rolla, MO Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Rolla. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Rolla compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Rolla, Missouri

Cost of living in Rolla 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 Rolla is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Missouri, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

90 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#53 Cheapest in Missouri (of 144)
#1,055 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$237,604 Median home value
$789 Median rent
$46,204 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Rolla, MO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rolla has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Rolla ranks as #53 most affordable out of the 144 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies Rolla ranks as the #91 most expensive place in the Show Me State.

For more reading on life in Rolla, check out:

Rolla Cost Of Living Vs. Missouri

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

  • The Services index in Rolla is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Rolla is 100.

  • The Health index in Rolla is 80.

  • The Housing index in Rolla is 97.

  • The Transportation index in Rolla is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Rolla is 93.

Living Expense Rolla Missouri National Average
Overall 90 90 100
Services 99 97 100
Groceries 100 98 100
Health 80 76 100
Housing 97 95 100
Transportation 95 94 100
Utilities 93 96 100

Rolla Cost Of Living Compared To Missouri Averages

Services
Rolla 99
Missouri avg 97
Groceries
Rolla 100
Missouri avg 98
Health
Rolla 80
Missouri avg 76
Housing
Rolla 97
Missouri avg 95
Transportation
Rolla 95
Missouri avg 94
Utilities
Rolla 93
Missouri avg 96

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Missouri, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Rolla, MO Housing Cost Breakdown

$237,604Median Home Value
$789Median Rent
$46,204Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Missouri, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Rolla is $237,604.

  • The Median Rent in Rolla is $789.

  • The Median Income in Rolla is $46,204.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rolla is 5.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rolla is 0.2x.

Statistic Rolla Missouri United States
Median Home Value $237,604 $263,040 $332,700
Median Rent $789 $1,033 $1,413
Median Income $46,204 $70,702 $80,734
Home Value To Income 5.1x 3.7x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x

Rolla, MO Costs By Category

Detailed Rolla Services costs vs. Missouri
Item Rolla Missouri
Shampoo $1.05 $1.28
Movie $11.64 $12.13
Bowling $16.11 $18
Haircut $24.14 $24.26
Beauty Salon $44.94 $45.56
Detailed Rolla Groceries costs vs. Missouri
Item Rolla Missouri
Ground Beef $6.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.66 $4.67
Potatoes $4.7 $4.93
Pizza $10.74 $12.09
Beer $9.14 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7
Detailed Rolla Health costs vs. Missouri
Item Rolla Missouri
Optometrist $135.25 $125.68
Doctor $141.87 $135.78
Dentist $99.33 $113.29
Detailed Rolla Transportation costs vs. Missouri
Item Rolla Missouri
Gasoline $3.24 $3.46
Tire Balancing $47.66 $59.92
Detailed Rolla Utilities costs vs. Missouri
Item Rolla Missouri
All Electricity $168.45 $193.99
Phone $197.21 $192.25

Rolla SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 5/10
Diversity 7/10
Safety 3/10
Amenities 8.5/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 10/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rolla

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

  • Fort Leonard Wood, MO has a cost of living index of 108, 1.2x Rolla.

  • Oak Grove, MO has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Rolla.

  • Sullivan, MO has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Rolla.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rolla
Fort Leonard Wood, MO 15,432 108 1.2x
Oak Grove, MO 8,538 93 1.0x
Sullivan, MO 6,310 86 1.0x
St. Robert, MO 5,356 95 1.1x