Rochester, NY Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Rochester, NY Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in New York, 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 Rochester is 89, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Rochester ranks as the #30 cheapest in New York out of 341.

  • Rochester ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rochester is $231,622.

  • The median income in Rochester is $46,628.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
89
Rochester's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rochester, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rochester has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Rochester has a cost of living index that's 0.7x lower than New York's index of 119.

The standard of living in Rochester ranks as #30 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Rochester ranks as the #311 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Rochester, check out:

30 out of 341
In New York
1,060 out of 6,489
In America

Rochester Cost Of Living Vs. New York

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

  • The Services index in Rochester is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Rochester is 100.

  • The Health index in Rochester is 100.

  • The Housing index in Rochester is 63.

  • The Transportation index in Rochester is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Rochester is 93.

Living Expense Rochester New York National Average
Overall 89 119 100
Services 104 110 100
Groceries 100 103 100
Health 100 101 100
Housing 63 145 100
Transportation 110 105 100
Utilities 93 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Rochester Cost of Living Vs. NY

Rochester, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, 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 Rochester is $231,622.

  • The Median Rent in Rochester is $1,039.

  • The Median Income in Rochester is $46,628.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rochester is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rochester is 0.27x.

Statistic Rochester New York United States
Median Home Value $231,622 $508,764 $303,400
Median Rent $1,039 $1,576 $1,348
Median Income $46,628 $84,578 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.0x 6.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.22x 0.21x
$231,622
Median Home Value
$1,039
Median Rent
$46,628
Median Income

Rochester, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Rochester Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Shampoo $1.7 $1.28
Movie $15.9 $12.13
Bowling $24.25 $18
Haircut $26.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $44.58 $45.56

Detailed Rochester Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Ground Beef $6.04 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.55 $1.57
Milk $5.16 $4.67
Potatoes $5.21 $4.93
Pizza $13.16 $12.09
Beer $11.98 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Rochester Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Optometrist $124.25 $125.68
Doctor $154.18 $135.78
Dentist $124.68 $113.29

Detailed Rochester Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
Gasoline $3.58 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.33 $59.92

Detailed Rochester Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Rochester New York
All Electricity $196.28 $193.99
Phone $200.67 $192.25

Rochester SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rochester

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

  • Irondequoit, NY has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Rochester.

  • Brighton, NY has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Rochester.

  • Greece, NY has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Rochester.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rochester
Irondequoit, NY 50,438 94 1.1x
Brighton, NY 36,633 104 1.2x
Greece, NY 14,053 94 1.1x
North Gates, NY 10,014 91 1.0x
East Rochester, NY 6,263 92 1.0x
Hilton, NY 5,990 97 1.1x
Webster, NY 5,734 96 1.1x
Fairport, NY 5,436 103 1.2x
Hamlin, NY 5,041 91 1.0x

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