Meriden, CT Cost Of Living

Meriden cost of living index

In the event that the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used. Each cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. If the amount is below 100, it is lower than the national average. If the amount is above 100, it is higher than the national average.
Index	Meriden	Connecticut	National
Cost of living index	106	120	100
Index	Meriden	Connecticut	National
Goods & Services index	118	120	100
Groceries index	101	105	100
Health care index	114	114	100
Housing index	97	137	100
Transportation index	113	112	100
Utilities index	96	103	100

An overview of the general cost of living index for Meriden, CT is displayed above for your reference. Residents in Meriden, CT enjoy a cost of living index of 106. This index is 12% lower than the Connecticut average, and 6% higher than the national average. The following categories are used when determining the cost of living index for any given city: health care (5%), transportation (9%), utilities (10%), groceries (13%), housing (30%), and goods/services (33%). Clearly, housing and goods/services make up the majority of the formula for calculating the cost of living index. Because of this, the general cost of living for any given area can be estimated by looking at the cost of everyday goods in that area. For those living in Meriden, CT, the average cost of goods and services is 2% lower than it is in Connecticut, and it is 18% higher than the national average.

Did you know?

The cost of living in Meriden is 12% lower than the Connecticut average.
The cost of living in Meriden is 6% higher than the national average.
The cost of housing in Meriden is 3% lower than the national average.
Connecticut general sales tax is 25% higher than the national average.
Connecticut state income tax is 35% higher than the national average.

Find Real Estate Listings In Meriden

New Real Estate Listings In Meriden

The best places in Connecticut

Here are the best places to live in Connecticut

These are the 10 most affordable cities in Connecticut

Top 10 cities in Connecticut with the best education system

See the best places to live in & around Meriden

Compare Meriden, CT Cost of living To Other Cities

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

Using the salary calculator lets you compare the salary you earn in Meriden, CT to what it is in other cities. It will let you know what your earnings would have to be in another city to have the same standard of living, as determined by the cost of living in each city. For example, if the cost of living in the area you want to move to is higher than the cost of living in Meriden, CT, you have to earn a higher income in order to still have the same standard of living. To operate the Meriden, CT salary calculator, put in the name of the other city, then move the slider to the point that represents the current income. The salary calculator will take care of the rest and tell you how much more or less you must earn in the new city. A Total breakdown of the cost of living is also provided.

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$77,163	$6,430	$1,800	$2,315
Renters	$35,640	$2,970	$832	$1,069

The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Meriden, CT as well as the overall cost of living. As a general rule of thumb, the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for homeowners or renters should be not more than 28 percent of gross income to be spent on housing related costs and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses, including debts. The median income for Meriden, CT homeowners, is $77,163. This would allow for a maximum of $1,800 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $35,640 which would result in a maximum of $832 to be spent on rental costs.

Connecticut Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Connecticut	6.35%	6.35%

Connecticut Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Connecticut	3%	6.99%

One thing to keep in mind when considering the cost of living in Meriden, CT is the Connecticut sales tax and Connecticut income tax rates. Sales taxes are taxes that are collected on most goods or services sold. Sales taxes can vary by state and can be as high as 7% and as low as 0% as not every state imposes a sales tax. The Connecticut sales tax rate is 6.35% and the maximum surtax that can be charged is 6.35%. Income tax is the tax imposed on income by both the federal and state government. The income tax rates varies by individual state and will also be higher or lower depending on the applicable tax bracket. The rates of state income tax can vary from 0% to more than 9%. The Connecticut income tax rates range from 3% to 6.99%.

Goods & Services

Item	Meriden	National avg.	Difference
Haircut	$20.50	$16.09	27.4%
Beauty Salon	$51.67	$37.33	38.4%
Toothpaste	$2.49	$2.45	1.7%
Shampoo	$0.88	$1.00	11.7%
Movie	$10.63	$10.28	3.4%
Bowling	$6.46	$4.93	31.0%

Groceries

Item	Meriden	National avg.	Difference
Ground Beef	$3.94	$3.80	3.6%
Fried Chicken	$1.67	$1.40	19.8%
Milk	$2.01	$2.01	0.1%
Potatoes	$3.49	$3.01	15.9%
Pizza	$10.32	$9.89	4.4%
Beer	$9.82	$8.90	10.4%

Health Care

Item	Meriden	National avg.	Difference
Optometrist	$120.00	$102.16	17.5%
Doctor	$125.00	$108.36	15.4%
Dentist	$123.03	$92.53	33.0%
Ibuprofen	$8.66	$9.28	6.7%
Lipitor	$356.99	$425.82	16.2%

Housing

Item	Meriden	National avg.	Difference
Home Price	$174,800.00	$184,700.00	5.4%
Avg. Mortgage Payment	$1,580.54	$1,202.44	31.4%
Apartment Rent	$963.00	$949.00	1.5%

Transportation

Item	Meriden	National avg.	Difference
Gasoline	$2.39	$2.24	6.3%
Tire Balancing	$58.58	$46.29	26.5%

Utilities

Item	Meriden	National avg.	Difference
All Electricity	$174.17	$165.96	4.9%
Phone	$24.99	$28.68	12.9%

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, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Waterbury, CT	109,211	102	2%
New Britain, CT	72,876	104	4%
Thomaston, CT	1,803	107	7%
Naugatuck, CT	31,625	108	8%
Bristol, CT	60,437	108	8%
Meriden, CT	60,203	106	6%

Cities with similar population

City, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Lake Elsinore, CA	60,230	120	20%
Palm Harbor, FL	60,236	102	2%
Cupertino, CA	60,297	248	148%
Auburn, AL	60,318	103	3%
Reston, VA	60,070	147	47%
Meriden, CT	60,203	106	6%

Source: The Meriden, CT cost of living data displayed above is derived from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) for 2017.

Meriden, CT Cost of Living