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 | Detroit | Grand Rapids | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $989/mo | $1,138/mo | 13.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $66,700 | $203,900 | 67.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $37,761 | $61,634 | 38.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.9 | 96.3 | 4.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 70.6 | 91.7 | 23.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.5 | 96.9 | 6.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 111.1 | 99.1 | 12.2% higher 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 Detroit, you'd need $115,064 in Grand Rapids to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Detroit, MI is about 13.1% cheaper overall than Grand Rapids, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 13% lower in Detroit than in Grand Rapids. If you earn $80,000 in Detroit, you'd need about $92,051 in Grand Rapids to keep the same standard of living.