City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Ann Arbor | Detroit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,472/mo | $989/mo | 48.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $416,500 | $66,700 | 524.4% higher in A |
| Median household income | $78,546 | $37,761 | 108.0% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 106.5 | 100.9 | 5.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 93.5 | 70.6 | 32.5% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 99.5 | 103.5 | 3.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.3 | 111.1 | 8.0% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Ann Arbor, you'd need $83,886 in Detroit to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Detroit, MI is about 16.1% cheaper overall than Ann Arbor, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% lower in Detroit than in Ann Arbor. If you earn $80,000 in Ann Arbor, you'd need about $67,109 in Detroit to keep the same standard of living.