Cost of living in Detroit: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Detroit sits 0.3% above the US average. The 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) covering the Detroit, MI metro area stands at 100.3, the US at 100, and housing alone at 94.7.
- Prices overall
- 100.3US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 94.7 for rents, with the US at 100.
Cost of living index for Detroit
A regional price parity measures the cost of one basket of goods and services in a place against the US average, which is set at 100. Detroit is part of the metro area of Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, and BEA measures prices for that whole area together. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, coming in at 107.0, or 7.0% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Detroit, MI metro | Michigan | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 100.3 | 96.2 | +0.3% |
| Goods | 98.8 | 96.0 | −1.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 94.7 | 82.3 | −5.3% |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 100.2 | +7.0% |
| Other services | 102.6 | 100.9 | +2.6% |
Regional price parities by state and metro area, 2024, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
Rent costs in Detroit
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent for homes listed now in Detroit at $1,328 a month, +5.1% on a year. In the US, that figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,091, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 41% of the median household income.
| Rent | Detroit | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,328 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +5.1% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,091 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income for a year of asking rent | 41% | 28% |
One-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, plus rent figures from Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Detroit home prices
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) puts the value of a typical home in Detroit at $74,742 in September 2026, a mid-market figure. Year over year, the figure is −5.9%, against $366,157 for the US. In years of the median household income, the price is 1.9, against 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Detroit | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $74,742 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −5.9% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +121.5% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 1.9 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 4.7 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Detroit housing market.
The salary needed to live in Detroit
Your salary in Detroit, enough to buy what your pay buys now, comes down to two questions: where you live and what you are paid.
- Moving away from
- Salary
Every city side by side, along with the method: city cost of living comparison.
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Detroit cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Prices overall | Housing | Rent, typical | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 100.3 | 94.7 | $1,328 | $74,742 |
| Grand Rapids | 95.5 | 86.6 | $1,602 | $303,937 |
| Ann Arbor | 100.9 | 125.3 | $2,026 | $517,346 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, with the US at 100. Rent figures: Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: compare cost of living by city. Every state: state cost of living.