Cost of living in Omaha: rent, home prices and salary needed
The cost of living in Omaha runs 8.1% under the US average: for the Omaha, NE metro area, the BEA regional price parity (RPP) in 2024 is 91.9, with the US at 100, while housing alone stands at 86.4.
- Level of prices
- 91.9US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 86.4. Rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index: Omaha
A regional price parity compares one place's cost for the same basket of goods and services against the US average, set at 100. Omaha belongs to the Omaha, NE-IA metro area, which BEA prices as one. Nothing sits further from the US average than utilities, which stand at 76.4, some 23.6% under the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Omaha, NE metro | Nebraska | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.9 | 90.1 | −8.1% |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.1 | −5.9% |
| Housing (rents) | 86.4 | 75.2 | −13.6% |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 75.6 | −23.6% |
| Other services | 93.0 | 93.0 | −7.0% |
Regional price parities for 2024, broken out by metro area and state, come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA parities data
Omaha rent
Asking rent in Omaha typically runs $1,389 a month, based on the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which covers homes listed now. It is +1.8% on a year. In the US, that figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,229, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. One year of asking rent equals 23% of the median household income.
| Rent | Omaha | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,389 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.8% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,229 | $1,487 |
| One year of asking rent as a share of median income | 23% | 28% |
The sources are the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, with one-year estimates.
Omaha home prices
By the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a typical home, one priced for the middle of the market, was worth $294,607 in Omaha in September 2026. That figure is +2.3% on a year, compared with $366,157 for the US. That price equals 4.1 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years in the US.
| Home prices | Omaha | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $294,607 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +2.3% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +85.7% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 17.7 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast and the price chart since 2000: Omaha housing market.
Salary you need to live in Omaha
Two questions decide the salary in Omaha that matches what your pay buys now: what you earn and where you live.
- Moving out of
- Salary
Every city side by side, plus the method: city cost of living comparison.
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Omaha cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | 91.9 | 86.4 | $1,389 | $294,607 |
| 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 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
Price levels: BEA regional price parities for 2024, with US = 100. Rent data: Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cities ranked by cost of living. Every state: each state's cost of living.