Grand Island, NE Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Grand Island, NE Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Nebraska, 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 Grand Island is 86, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Grand Island is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Grand Island ranks as the #7 cheapest in Nebraska out of 34.

  • Grand Island ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Grand Island is $256,669.

  • The median income in Grand Island is $62,439.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
86
Grand Island's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Grand Island, NE?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Grand Island has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Nebraska, Grand Island has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Nebraska's index of 89.

The standard of living in Grand Island ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 34 places we measured in Nebraska. By definition, that implies Grand Island ranks as the #27 most expensive place in the Cornhusker State.

For more reading on life in Grand Island, check out:

7 out of 34
In Nebraska
639 out of 6,489
In America

Grand Island Cost Of Living Vs. Nebraska

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

  • The Services index in Grand Island is 91.

  • The Groceries index in Grand Island is 93.

  • The Health index in Grand Island is 99.

  • The Housing index in Grand Island is 82.

  • The Transportation index in Grand Island is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Grand Island is 82.

Living Expense Grand Island Nebraska National Average
Overall 86 89 100
Services 91 94 100
Groceries 93 97 100
Health 99 99 100
Housing 82 77 100
Transportation 97 100 100
Utilities 82 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Nebraska, check out:
Grand Island Cost of Living Vs. NE

Grand Island, NE Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Nebraska, 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 Grand Island is $256,669.

  • The Median Rent in Grand Island is $913.

  • The Median Income in Grand Island is $62,439.

  • The Home Value To Income in Grand Island is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Grand Island is 0.18x.

Statistic Grand Island Nebraska United States
Median Home Value $256,669 $272,244 $303,400
Median Rent $913 $1,035 $1,348
Median Income $62,439 $74,985 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.1x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x
$256,669
Median Home Value
$913
Median Rent
$62,439
Median Income

Grand Island, NE Costs By Category

Detailed Grand Island Services Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Grand Island Nebraska
Shampoo $0.98 $1.28
Movie $9.1 $12.13
Bowling $11.33 $18
Haircut $17.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $28.75 $45.56

Detailed Grand Island Groceries Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Grand Island Nebraska
Ground Beef $6.66 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.49 $4.67
Potatoes $4.49 $4.93
Pizza $11.34 $12.09
Beer $9.34 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Grand Island Health Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Grand Island Nebraska
Optometrist $128.5 $125.68
Doctor $139.89 $135.78
Dentist $97.5 $113.29

Detailed Grand Island Transportation Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Grand Island Nebraska
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $55.44 $59.92

Detailed Grand Island Utilities Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Grand Island Nebraska
All Electricity $126.33 $193.99
Phone $199.27 $192.25

Grand Island SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Grand Island

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

  • Kearney, NE has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Grand Island.

  • Hastings, NE has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Grand Island.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Grand Island
Kearney, NE 34,024 92 1.1x
Hastings, NE 25,005 86 1.0x

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