What is the cost of living in Watford City, ND?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Watford City has an overall cost of living index of 114, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Dakota, Watford City has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Dakota's index of 94.
The standard of living in Watford City ranks as #13 most affordable out of the 13 places we measured in North Dakota. By definition, that implies Watford City ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Peace Garden State.
For more reading on life in Watford City, check out:
Watford City Cost Of Living Vs. North Dakota
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Watford City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Watford City is 97.
The Groceries index in Watford City is 98.
The Health index in Watford City is 144.
The Housing index in Watford City is 101.
The Transportation index in Watford City is 104.
The Utilities index in Watford City is 97.
| Living Expense | Watford City | North Dakota | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 114 | 94 | 100 |
| Services | 97 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 144 | 87 | 100 |
| Housing | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Transportation | 104 | 102 | 100 |
| Utilities | 97 | 99 | 100 |
Watford 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
Watford 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 Watford City is $378,061.
The Median Rent in Watford City is $1,336.
The Median Income in Watford City is $102,260.
The Home Value To Income in Watford City is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Watford City is 0.16x.
| Statistic | Watford City | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $378,061 | $284,075 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,336 | $954 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $102,260 | $76,657 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.7x | 3.7x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.15x | 0.21x |
Watford City, ND Costs By Category
Detailed Watford City Services costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Watford City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.12 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.67 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $7.5 | $18 |
| Haircut | $19.55 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $47.78 | $45.56 |
Detailed Watford City Groceries costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Watford City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.62 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.48 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.65 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.31 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.75 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.74 | $3.7 |
Detailed Watford City Health costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Watford City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $140.01 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $166.95 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $135.25 | $113.29 |
Detailed Watford City Transportation costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Watford City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.4 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $71.21 | $59.92 |
Detailed Watford City Utilities costs vs. North Dakota
| Item | Watford City | North Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.52 | $192.25 |
