Lincoln, NE Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Lincoln, NE Summary

Cost of living in Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln is 99, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lincoln is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Lincoln ranks as the #31 cheapest in Nebraska out of 34.

  • Lincoln ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lincoln is $286,251.

  • The median income in Lincoln is $69,991.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
99
Lincoln's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lincoln, NE?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lincoln has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Nebraska, Lincoln has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Nebraska's index of 89.

The standard of living in Lincoln ranks as #31 most affordable out of the 34 places we measured in Nebraska. By definition, that implies Lincoln ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Cornhusker State.

For more reading on life in Lincoln, check out:

31 out of 34
In Nebraska
2,497 out of 6,489
In America

Lincoln Cost Of Living Vs. Nebraska

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

  • The Services index in Lincoln is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Lincoln is 99.

  • The Health index in Lincoln is 110.

  • The Housing index in Lincoln is 95.

  • The Transportation index in Lincoln is 105.

  • The Utilities index in Lincoln is 82.

Living Expense Lincoln Nebraska National Average
Overall 99 89 100
Services 102 94 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 110 99 100
Housing 95 77 100
Transportation 105 100 100
Utilities 82 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Nebraska, check out:
Lincoln Cost of Living Vs. NE

Lincoln, 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 Lincoln is $286,251.

  • The Median Rent in Lincoln is $1,045.

  • The Median Income in Lincoln is $69,991.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lincoln is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lincoln is 0.18x.

Statistic Lincoln Nebraska United States
Median Home Value $286,251 $272,244 $303,400
Median Rent $1,045 $1,035 $1,348
Median Income $69,991 $74,985 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.1x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x
$286,251
Median Home Value
$1,045
Median Rent
$69,991
Median Income

Lincoln, NE Costs By Category

Detailed Lincoln Services Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Lincoln Nebraska
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $12.09 $12.13
Bowling $17.47 $18
Haircut $31.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.12 $45.56

Detailed Lincoln Groceries Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Lincoln Nebraska
Ground Beef $6.17 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.37 $1.57
Milk $4.68 $4.67
Potatoes $4.5 $4.93
Pizza $11.23 $12.09
Beer $9.42 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.71 $3.7

Detailed Lincoln Health Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Lincoln Nebraska
Optometrist $114.63 $125.68
Doctor $168.72 $135.78
Dentist $118.87 $113.29

Detailed Lincoln Transportation Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Lincoln Nebraska
Gasoline $3.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $73.74 $59.92

Detailed Lincoln Utilities Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Lincoln Nebraska
All Electricity $128.83 $193.99
Phone $201.86 $192.25

Lincoln SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lincoln

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

  • Crete, NE has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x Lincoln.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lincoln
Crete, NE 7,521 86 0.9x

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