Ralston, NE Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Ralston, NE Summary

Cost of living in Ralston 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 Ralston 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 Ralston is 96, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Ralston ranks as the #26 cheapest in Nebraska out of 34.

  • Ralston ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ralston is $255,566.

  • The median income in Ralston is $65,557.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
96
Ralston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Ralston, NE?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ralston has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Ralston ranks as #26 most affordable out of the 34 places we measured in Nebraska. By definition, that implies Ralston ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Cornhusker State.

For more reading on life in Ralston, check out:

26 out of 34
In Nebraska
2,104 out of 6,489
In America

Ralston Cost Of Living Vs. Nebraska

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

  • The Services index in Ralston is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Ralston is 99.

  • The Health index in Ralston is 88.

  • The Housing index in Ralston is 86.

  • The Transportation index in Ralston is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Ralston is 94.

Living Expense Ralston Nebraska National Average
Overall 96 89 100
Services 98 94 100
Groceries 99 97 100
Health 88 99 100
Housing 86 77 100
Transportation 97 100 100
Utilities 94 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Nebraska, check out:
Ralston Cost of Living Vs. NE

Ralston, 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 Ralston is $255,566.

  • The Median Rent in Ralston is $1,178.

  • The Median Income in Ralston is $65,557.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ralston is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ralston is 0.22x.

Statistic Ralston Nebraska United States
Median Home Value $255,566 $272,244 $303,400
Median Rent $1,178 $1,035 $1,348
Median Income $65,557 $74,985 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.17x 0.21x
$255,566
Median Home Value
$1,178
Median Rent
$65,557
Median Income

Ralston, NE Costs By Category

Detailed Ralston Services Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Ralston Nebraska
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.12 $12.13
Bowling $18.36 $18
Haircut $23.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $32.5 $45.56

Detailed Ralston Groceries Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Ralston Nebraska
Ground Beef $6.11 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $4.5 $4.93
Pizza $11.19 $12.09
Beer $9.76 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.71 $3.7

Detailed Ralston Health Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Ralston Nebraska
Optometrist $123.1 $125.68
Doctor $135.27 $135.78
Dentist $90.11 $113.29

Detailed Ralston Transportation Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Ralston Nebraska
Gasoline $3.22 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.12 $59.92

Detailed Ralston Utilities Costs Vs. Nebraska

Item Ralston Nebraska
All Electricity $174.82 $193.99
Phone $200.78 $192.25

Ralston SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
7
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ralston

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

  • Omaha, NE has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Ralston.

  • Bellevue, NE has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Ralston.

  • Papillion, NE has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Ralston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ralston
Omaha, NE 488,197 97 1.0x
Bellevue, NE 64,355 96 1.0x
Papillion, NE 24,063 100 1.0x
La Vista, NE 16,594 99 1.0x
Chalco, NE 10,625 95 1.0x
Gretna, NE 9,117 97 1.0x
Plattsmouth, NE 6,680 91 0.9x
Offutt AFB, NE 5,663 108 1.1x
Glenwood, IA 5,118 94 1.0x

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