Ralston, NE Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Ralston. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Ralston compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Ralston, Nebraska

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:

96 Cost of living index 1.0x lower vs US
#27 Cheapest in Nebraska (of 34)
#1,959 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$264,641 Median home value
$1,215 Median rent
$69,403 Median income
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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 #27 most affordable out of the 34 places we measured in Nebraska. By definition, that implies Ralston ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Cornhusker State.

For more reading on life in Ralston, check out:

Ralston Cost Of Living Vs. Nebraska

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

  • The Services index in Ralston is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Ralston is 100.

  • The Health index in Ralston is 85.

  • The Housing index in Ralston is 101.

  • The Transportation index in Ralston is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Ralston is 93.

Living Expense Ralston Nebraska National Average
Overall 96 89 100
Services 98 98 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 85 77 100
Housing 101 99 100
Transportation 96 98 100
Utilities 93 96 100

Ralston Cost Of Living Compared To Nebraska Averages

Services
Ralston 98
Nebraska avg 98
Groceries
Ralston 100
Nebraska avg 99
Health
Ralston 85
Nebraska avg 77
Housing
Ralston 101
Nebraska avg 99
Transportation
Ralston 96
Nebraska avg 98
Utilities
Ralston 93
Nebraska avg 96

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Nebraska, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Ralston, NE Housing Cost Breakdown

$264,641Median Home Value
$1,215Median Rent
$69,403Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Ralston is $264,641.

  • The Median Rent in Ralston is $1,215.

  • The Median Income in Ralston is $69,403.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ralston is 3.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ralston is 0.21x.

Statistic Ralston Nebraska United States
Median Home Value $264,641 $276,499 $332,700
Median Rent $1,215 $1,072 $1,413
Median Income $69,403 $76,475 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.8x 3.6x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.17x 0.21x

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

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

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 100, 1.0x Ralston.

  • Bellevue, NE has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Ralston.

  • Papillion, NE has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Ralston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ralston
Omaha, NE 488,837 100 1.0x
Bellevue, NE 64,510 95 1.0x
Papillion, NE 25,244 102 1.1x
La Vista, NE 16,563 98 1.0x
Chalco, NE 10,595 95 1.0x
Gretna, NE 9,193 100 1.0x
Plattsmouth, NE 6,731 91 0.9x
Offutt AFB, NE 6,074 108 1.1x
Glenwood, IA 5,144 93 1.0x