Cranston, RI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Cranston, RI Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Rhode Island, 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 Cranston is 116, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Cranston is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Cranston ranks as the #8 cheapest in Rhode Island out of 15.

  • Cranston ranks as the #4,151 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cranston is $433,112.

  • The median income in Cranston is $87,716.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
116
Cranston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cranston, RI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cranston has an overall cost of living index of 116, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Rhode Island, Cranston has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Rhode Island's index of 111.

The standard of living in Cranston ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 15 places we measured in Rhode Island. By definition, that implies Cranston ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Ocean State.

For more reading on life in Cranston, check out:

8 out of 15
In Rhode Island
4,151 out of 6,489
In America

Cranston Cost Of Living Vs. Rhode Island

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

  • The Services index in Cranston is 116.

  • The Groceries index in Cranston is 103.

  • The Health index in Cranston is 110.

  • The Housing index in Cranston is 135.

  • The Transportation index in Cranston is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Cranston is 113.

Living Expense Cranston Rhode Island National Average
Overall 116 111 100
Services 116 113 100
Groceries 103 100 100
Health 110 110 100
Housing 135 121 100
Transportation 93 91 100
Utilities 113 114 100
For more reading on cost of living around Rhode Island, check out:
Cranston Cost of Living Vs. RI

Cranston, RI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Rhode Island, 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 Cranston is $433,112.

  • The Median Rent in Cranston is $1,332.

  • The Median Income in Cranston is $87,716.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cranston is 4.9x.

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

Statistic Cranston Rhode Island United States
Median Home Value $433,112 $490,356 $303,400
Median Rent $1,332 $1,273 $1,348
Median Income $87,716 $86,372 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.9x 5.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.21x
$433,112
Median Home Value
$1,332
Median Rent
$87,716
Median Income

Cranston, RI Costs By Category

Detailed Cranston Services Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Cranston Rhode Island
Shampoo $1.43 $1.28
Movie $14.37 $12.13
Bowling $22.72 $18
Haircut $31.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.92 $45.56

Detailed Cranston Groceries Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Cranston Rhode Island
Ground Beef $5.85 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.43 $1.57
Milk $4.74 $4.67
Potatoes $5.0 $4.93
Pizza $11.59 $12.09
Beer $10.74 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.46 $3.7

Detailed Cranston Health Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Cranston Rhode Island
Optometrist $104.45 $125.68
Doctor $169.83 $135.78
Dentist $130.28 $113.29

Detailed Cranston Transportation Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Cranston Rhode Island
Gasoline $3.38 $3.46
Tire Balancing $48.2 $59.92

Detailed Cranston Utilities Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Cranston Rhode Island
All Electricity $230.62 $193.99
Phone $195.18 $192.25

Cranston SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cranston

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

  • Providence, RI has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Cranston.

  • Warwick, RI has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Cranston.

  • Pawtucket, RI has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Cranston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cranston
Providence, RI 190,214 111 1.0x
Warwick, RI 82,871 114 1.0x
Pawtucket, RI 75,280 110 0.9x
East Providence, RI 46,970 110 0.9x
Woonsocket, RI 43,074 105 0.9x
Central Falls, RI 22,481 103 0.9x
Somerset, MA 18,246 120 1.0x
Valley Falls, RI 12,370 114 1.0x
Greenville, RI 8,586 122 1.1x

Articles About Rhode Island

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