A+
1%
Overall NAT. AVG.
2%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
2%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; 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 Auburn Hills Michigan National
Cost of living10189100
Goods & Services10293100
Groceries10399100
Health care10293100
Housing10274100
Transportation10097100
Utilities94101100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Auburn Hills, MI

Knowing the cost of living in Auburn Hills allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Auburn Hills stands at 101, marking it 1% higher than the national average.

The cost of living in Auburn Hills closely mirrors the national average in comparison to other cities nationwide. Essential items such as groceries, goods and services, health care and utilities are priced at a level consistent with similar urban areas. This means that residents of Auburn Hills can anticipate that their daily expenses will remain reasonably in line with those of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

Is Auburn Hills Affordable?

Is Auburn Hills 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 Auburn Hills, the median home price is 5.6% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 20.9% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Auburn Hills come in at $68,780, which is 24.3% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Auburn Hills?

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Auburn Hills, the housing index is 2.3% higher than the national average.

Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Auburn Hills, the groceries index is 3.4% higher than the national average.

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Auburn Hills comes in at 5.6% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Auburn Hills 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.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Auburn Hills is 13% higher than the Michigan average
  • The cost of living in Auburn Hills is 1% higher than the national average
  • Auburn Hills housing is 2% higher than the national average
  • Michigan general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Michigan state income tax is 88% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Auburn Hills

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Compare Auburn Hills, 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$82,618$6,885$1,928$2,479
      Renters$61,222$5,102$1,428$1,837
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Auburn Hills 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. Auburn Hills has a median income of about $82,618 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $1,928 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $61,222. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $1,428 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 Auburn Hills National avg. Difference
      Haircut $16.80$24.2630.8%
      Beauty Salon $24.78$45.5645.6%
      Toothpaste $3.66$3.701.1%
      Shampoo $1.13$1.2811.8%
      Movie $12.99$12.137.1%
      Bowling $12.33$18.0031.5%

      Groceries

      Item Auburn Hills National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.75$5.841.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.41$1.5710.4%
      Milk $4.78$4.672.3%
      Potatoes $4.80$4.932.8%
      Pizza $8.99$12.0925.6%
      Beer $9.04$10.4113.2%

      Health Care

      Item Auburn Hills National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $85.00$125.6832.4%
      Doctor $103.33$135.7823.9%
      Dentist $91.00$113.2919.7%
      Ibuprofen $10.22$10.654.1%
      Lipitor $490.11$468.604.6%

      Housing

      Item Auburn Hills National avg. Difference
      Home Price $174,300.00$184,700.005.6%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,709.07$2,346.6927.2%
      Apartment Rent $1,147.00$949.0020.9%

      Transportation

      Item Auburn Hills National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.35$3.463.1%
      Tire Balancing $56.00$59.926.5%

      Utilities

      Item Auburn Hills National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $219.20$193.9913.0%
      Phone $184.44$192.254.1%
      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.
      Pontiac, MI59,7148613.5%
      Center Line, MI8,2128812.0%
      Hazel Park, MI16,4528910.7%
      Warren, MI134,188955.4%
      Madison Heights, MI30,000954.5%
      Auburn Hills, MI23,9841011.1%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Sugar Hill, GA23,9941088.1%
      Dix Hills, NY23,99518888.1%
      South Plainfield, NJ23,96113131.4%
      Wekiwa Springs, FL24,00811919.3%
      Port St. John, FL23,9401000.1%
      Auburn Hills, MI23,9841011.1%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.