A+
18%
Overall NAT. AVG.
4%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
62%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Muskegon Heights Michigan National
Cost of living8291100
Goods & Services10496100
Groceries9899100
Health care10792100
Housing3876100
Transportation98100100
Utilities9497100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Muskegon Heights, MI

The cost of living in Muskegon Heights affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Muskegon Heights is 82, which is 18% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Housing costs often consume a significant share of your take-home income, often surpassing 30%. Fortunately, Muskegon Heights distinguishes itself by reporting housing expenses that are 62.1% below the national average. This indicates that both owning a home and renting in this area are notably more budget-friendly compared to the rest of the nation. With such favorable housing affordability, residents of Muskegon Heights can allocate more of their income to housing, enhancing their financial flexibility.

Is Muskegon Heights Affordable?

Is Muskegon Heights an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Muskegon Heights, the median home price is 76.9% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 27.7% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Muskegon Heights come in at $47,327, which is 41.8% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Muskegon Heights?

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Muskegon Heights, healthcare costs are 7% higher than the national average.

Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Muskegon Heights, the housing index is 62.1% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Muskegon Heights cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Muskegon Heights is 9% lower than the Michigan average
  • The cost of living in Muskegon Heights is 18% lower than the national average
  • Muskegon Heights housing is 62% lower than the national average
  • Michigan general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Michigan state income tax is 64% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Muskegon Heights

See all the best places to live around Muskegon Heights

Compare Muskegon Heights, MI Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$65,630$5,469$1,531$1,969
      Renters$33,809$2,817$789$1,014
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Muskegon Heights is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Muskegon Heights has a median income of about $65,630 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $1,531 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $33,809. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $789 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      Michigan Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Michigan 6% 6%

      Michigan Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Michigan 4.25% 4.25%

      Goods & Services

      Item Muskegon Heights National avg. Difference
      Haircut $34.59$27.6225.2%
      Beauty Salon $54.12$51.115.9%
      Toothpaste $4.52$4.0910.4%
      Shampoo $1.31$1.5415.0%
      Movie $12.87$12.880.1%
      Yoga $24.30$19.6623.6%

      Groceries

      Item Muskegon Heights National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.48$7.702.9%
      Fried Chicken $1.51$1.669.2%
      Milk $5.00$4.735.6%
      Potatoes $5.06$5.263.7%
      Pizza $11.09$12.7613.1%
      Beer $10.07$10.554.5%

      Health Care

      Item Muskegon Heights National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $121.36$140.0613.4%
      Doctor $109.95$153.8228.5%
      Dentist $174.70$123.1541.9%
      Ibuprofen $12.14$11.733.5%
      Lipitor $21.51$23.618.9%

      Housing

      Item Muskegon Heights National avg. Difference
      Home Price $75,570.00$326,622.0076.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,915.63$2,480.2517.6%
      Apartment Rent $1,044.00$1,444.0027.7%

      Transportation

      Item Muskegon Heights National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.19$3.064.4%
      Tire Balancing $54.35$65.2116.7%

      Utilities

      Item Muskegon Heights National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $203.21$220.127.7%
      Phone $191.43$195.712.2%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Muskegon, MI38,2558713.4%
      Montague, MI2,869928.3%
      Roosevelt Park, MI3,900937.2%
      Lakewood Club, MI1,280936.8%
      Whitehall, MI2,856945.6%
      Muskegon Heights, MI10,9798217.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Fairfield, AL10,9808613.7%
      Lansdowne, PA10,9801033.4%
      Waipio, HI10,98517777.4%
      Columbia, IL10,9851000.2%
      Jackson, WY10,97217978.7%
      Muskegon Heights, MI10,9798217.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.