Cost of Living in Detroit, MI (2026)

Detroit's cost of living is 0% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $99,703 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Detroit has a cost-of-living index of 100 against a US average of 100 — about 0% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $99,703 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Detroit

MeasureDetroitUS average
Cost-of-living index100100
Median rent$1,034/mo-
Median home value$76,800-
Median household income$39,575-
Population636,644-

Monthly cost breakdown in Detroit

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,034$446
Transport$542$542
Food$427$427
Healthcare$268$268
Other$953$953
Total$3,224$2,636

Affordability in Detroit

Median rent takes about 31.4% of the median household income in Detroit — above the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 1.9x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Detroit

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$135,720$135,317
Software Developer$107,490$107,171
Mechanical Engineer$101,230$100,929
Physical Therapist$99,550$99,254
Data Scientist$96,970$96,682
Web Developer$89,530$89,264
Financial Analyst$85,710$85,455
Dental Hygienist$85,525$85,271

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Detroit’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Detroit has a cost-of-living index of 100 against a US average of 100, so it is about 0% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Detroit has roughly the purchasing power of $99,703 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Detroit's median rent of $1,034/month that implies about $41,360 a year before tax. The median household in Detroit earns $39,575.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $3,224 a month in Detroit across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $2,636 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Detroit costs $76,800, which is 1.9x the median household income of $39,575. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Detroit is comfortable on that measure.