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 | East Lansing | Grand Rapids | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,080/mo | $1,138/mo | 5.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $240,800 | $203,900 | 18.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $44,094 | $61,634 | 28.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 94.5 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.4 | 93.2 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.8 | 98.8 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 99.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in East Lansing, you'd need $101,520 in Grand Rapids to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
East Lansing, MI is about 1.5% cheaper overall than Grand Rapids, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% lower in East Lansing than in Grand Rapids. If you earn $80,000 in East Lansing, you'd need about $81,216 in Grand Rapids to keep the same standard of living.