| Index | Cleveland | Tennessee | National |
| Cost of living | 95 | 92 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 98 | 100 |
| Health care | 96 | 97 | 100 |
| Housing | 91 | 80 | 100 |
| Transportation | 95 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 98 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Household Items | 100 | 98 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 101 | 97 | 100 |

The cost of living in Cleveland 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 Cleveland is 95, which is 5% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
In Cleveland, daily expenses such as food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care are in line with comparable areas and about average when compared to all cities across the nation. This ensures that the cost of living in Cleveland will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.
Is Cleveland an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Cleveland is 6% lower than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 16.4% lower than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Cleveland has a median household income of $66,762, which is 17.9% lower than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.
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 Cleveland comes in at 1.5% lower than the national average.
Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can undergo substantial fluctuations based on the city or state of residence. Elements such as the availability of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket costs for medical consultations, dental expenses, prescription medication charges and specialized medical care fees all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Cleveland, healthcare costs are 4.4% lower than the national average.
The Cleveland cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $94,889 | $7,907 | $2,214 | $2,847 |
| Renters | $47,186 | $3,932 | $1,101 | $1,416 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Tennessee | 7% | 9.75% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Tennessee | 0% | 0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| East Cleveland, TN | 2,617 | 84 | 16.0% |
| Benton, TN | 1,293 | 86 | 13.7% |
| Charleston, TN | 687 | 88 | 11.9% |
| Calhoun, TN | 698 | 89 | 11.4% |
| Wildwood Lake, TN | 3,719 | 92 | 7.6% |
| Cleveland, TN | 46,880 | 95 | 4.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Coachella, CA | 46,858 | 115 | 14.9% |
| Oro Valley, AZ | 46,840 | 123 | 23.0% |
| Herriman, UT | 46,782 | 132 | 31.8% |
| Lake Ridge, VA | 46,761 | 131 | 30.8% |
| Biloxi, MS | 47,008 | 95 | 5.2% |
| Cleveland, TN | 46,880 | 95 | 4.7% |