Kingston, RI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Kingston, RI Summary

Cost of living in Kingston 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 Kingston 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 Kingston is 134, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kingston is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Kingston ranks as the #14 cheapest in Rhode Island out of 15.

  • Kingston ranks as the #5,171 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kingston is $656,157.

  • The median income in Kingston is $82,143.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
134
Kingston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kingston, RI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kingston has an overall cost of living index of 134, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Rhode Island, Kingston has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Rhode Island's index of 111.

The standard of living in Kingston ranks as #14 most affordable out of the 15 places we measured in Rhode Island. By definition, that implies Kingston ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Ocean State.

For more reading on life in Kingston, check out:

14 out of 15
In Rhode Island
5,171 out of 6,489
In America

Kingston Cost Of Living Vs. Rhode Island

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

  • The Services index in Kingston is 116.

  • The Groceries index in Kingston is 103.

  • The Health index in Kingston is 110.

  • The Housing index in Kingston is 188.

  • The Transportation index in Kingston is 91.

  • The Utilities index in Kingston is 110.

Living Expense Kingston Rhode Island National Average
Overall 134 111 100
Services 116 113 100
Groceries 103 100 100
Health 110 110 100
Housing 188 121 100
Transportation 91 91 100
Utilities 110 114 100
For more reading on cost of living around Rhode Island, check out:
Kingston Cost of Living Vs. RI

Kingston, 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 Kingston is $656,157.

  • The Median Rent in Kingston is -.

  • The Median Income in Kingston is $82,143.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kingston is 8.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kingston is nanx.

Statistic Kingston Rhode Island United States
Median Home Value $656,157 $490,356 $303,400
Median Rent - $1,273 $1,348
Median Income $82,143 $86,372 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.0x 5.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income nanx 0.18x 0.21x
$656,157
Median Home Value
-
Median Rent
$82,143
Median Income

Kingston, RI Costs By Category

Detailed Kingston Services Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Kingston 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 Kingston Groceries Costs Vs. Rhode Island

Item Kingston 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 Kingston Health Costs Vs. Rhode Island

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

Detailed Kingston Transportation Costs Vs. Rhode Island

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

Detailed Kingston Utilities Costs Vs. Rhode Island

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

Kingston SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
9.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kingston

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

  • Newport, RI has a cost of living index of 143, 1.1x Kingston.

  • Newport East, RI has a cost of living index of 128, 1.0x Kingston.

  • Pawcatuck, CT has a cost of living index of 114, 0.9x Kingston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kingston
Newport, RI 25,029 143 1.1x
Newport East, RI 11,262 128 1.0x
Pawcatuck, CT 5,475 114 0.9x

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