What is the cost of living in Petal, MS?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Petal has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Mississippi, Petal has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Mississippi's index of 88.
The standard of living in Petal ranks as #37 most affordable out of the 67 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies Petal ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.
For more reading on life in Petal, check out:
Petal Cost Of Living Vs. Mississippi
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Petal. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Petal is 97.
The Groceries index in Petal is 93.
The Health index in Petal is 79.
The Housing index in Petal is 98.
The Transportation index in Petal is 97.
The Utilities index in Petal is 95.
| Living Expense | Petal | Mississippi | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 88 | 100 |
| Services | 97 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 93 | 97 | 100 |
| Health | 79 | 63 | 100 |
| Housing | 98 | 94 | 100 |
| Transportation | 97 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 95 | 93 | 100 |
Petal Cost Of Living Compared To Mississippi Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Mississippi, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Mississippi
- Most Affordable Cities In Mississippi
- Average Rent In Mississippi
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Petal, MS Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Mississippi, 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 Petal is $223,365.
The Median Rent in Petal is $1,047.
The Median Income in Petal is $74,750.
The Home Value To Income in Petal is 3.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Petal is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Petal | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $223,365 | $192,906 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,047 | $954 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $74,750 | $56,447 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.0x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Petal, MS Costs By Category
Detailed Petal Services costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Petal | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.17 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.62 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $17.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.75 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $45.72 | $45.56 |
Detailed Petal Groceries costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Petal | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.74 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.16 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.24 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.16 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.59 | $3.7 |
Detailed Petal Health costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Petal | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $122.28 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $128.94 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $138.76 | $113.29 |
Detailed Petal Transportation costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Petal | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.08 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.67 | $59.92 |
Detailed Petal Utilities costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Petal | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $162.85 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.62 | $192.25 |
Petal SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Petal
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Petal. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hattiesburg, MS has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x Petal.
Laurel, MS has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x Petal.
West Hattiesburg, MS has a cost of living index of 94, 1.0x Petal.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Petal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg, MS | 48,619 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Laurel, MS | 17,679 | 85 | 0.9x |
| West Hattiesburg, MS | 6,715 | 94 | 1.0x |
| Columbia, MS | 6,632 | 79 | 0.9x |
