What is the cost of living in Valley City, ND?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Valley City has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Dakota, Valley City has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Dakota's index of 94.
The standard of living in Valley City ranks as #2 most affordable out of the 13 places we measured in North Dakota. By definition, that implies Valley City ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Peace Garden State.
For more reading on life in Valley City, check out:
Valley City Cost Of Living Vs. North Dakota
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Valley City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Valley City is 103.
The Groceries index in Valley City is 101.
The Health index in Valley City is 74.
The Housing index in Valley City is 94.
The Transportation index in Valley City is 104.
The Utilities index in Valley City is 100.
| Living Expense | Valley City | North Dakota | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93 | 94 | 100 |
| Services | 103 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 101 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 74 | 87 | 100 |
| Housing | 94 | 99 | 100 |
| Transportation | 104 | 102 | 100 |
| Utilities | 100 | 99 | 100 |
Valley City Cost Of Living Compared To North Dakota Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around North Dakota, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In North Dakota
- Most Affordable Cities In North Dakota
- Average Rent In North Dakota
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Valley City, ND Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Dakota, 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 Valley City is $195,114.
The Median Rent in Valley City is $780.
The Median Income in Valley City is $60,339.
The Home Value To Income in Valley City is 3.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Valley City is 0.16x.
| Statistic | Valley City | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $195,114 | $284,075 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $780 | $954 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $60,339 | $76,657 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.2x | 3.7x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.15x | 0.21x |
Valley City, ND Costs By Category
Detailed Valley City Services costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Valley City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.04 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $8.02 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $22.5 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $38.0 | $45.56 |
Detailed Valley City Groceries costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Valley City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.52 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.38 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.48 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.11 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.88 | $3.7 |
Detailed Valley City Health costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Valley City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $140.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $169.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $96.0 | $113.29 |
Detailed Valley City Transportation costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Valley City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.27 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $57.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Valley City Utilities costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Valley City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.79 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $191.52 | $192.25 |
