A+
8%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
17%
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 Murray Kentucky National
Cost of living9290100
Goods & Services101102100
Groceries95100100
Health care9493100
Housing8370100
Transportation9196100
Utilities8888100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Murray, KY

The cost of living in Murray 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 Murray is 92, which is 8% 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 Murray, daily expenses such as food, housing, goods and services, 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 Murray will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

Is Murray Affordable?

Is Murray 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 Murray, the median home price is 10.8% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 30.2% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Murray come in at $48,279, which is 40.6% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Murray?

Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Murray, the groceries index registers 4.7% lower than the national average.

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 Murray, the housing index is 16.6% lower than the national average.

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.

Where is the Data From?

The Murray 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. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Murray is 3% higher than the Kentucky average
  • The cost of living in Murray is 8% lower than the national average
  • Murray housing is 17% lower than the national average
  • Kentucky general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average
  • Kentucky state income tax is 73% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Murray

See all the best places to live around Murray

Compare Murray, KY Cost of Living

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      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$89,494$7,458$2,088$2,685
      Renters$31,131$2,594$726$934
      The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Murray, KY, 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 Murray homeowners, is $89,494. This would allow for a maximum of $2,088 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $31,131 which would result in a maximum of $726 to be spent on rental costs.

      Kentucky Sales Tax

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

      Kentucky Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Kentucky 4.5% 4.5%

      Goods & Services

      Item Murray National avg. Difference
      Haircut $30.14$27.629.1%
      Beauty Salon $44.92$51.1112.1%
      Toothpaste $4.09$4.090.1%
      Shampoo $1.45$1.546.0%
      Movie $14.38$12.8811.7%
      Yoga $11.94$19.6639.3%

      Groceries

      Item Murray National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.00$7.703.8%
      Fried Chicken $1.47$1.6611.6%
      Milk $4.57$4.733.4%
      Potatoes $5.54$5.265.4%
      Pizza $12.37$12.763.1%
      Beer $10.20$10.553.3%

      Health Care

      Item Murray National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $148.30$140.065.9%
      Doctor $125.28$153.8218.6%
      Dentist $121.67$123.151.2%
      Ibuprofen $11.55$11.731.6%
      Lipitor $20.85$23.6111.7%

      Housing

      Item Murray National avg. Difference
      Home Price $291,388.00$326,622.0010.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,891.70$2,480.2523.7%
      Apartment Rent $1,008.00$1,444.0030.2%

      Transportation

      Item Murray National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.81$3.068.1%
      Tire Balancing $58.75$65.219.9%

      Utilities

      Item Murray National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $175.60$220.1220.2%
      Phone $196.66$195.710.5%
      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.
      Dexter, KY1337822.0%
      Farmington, KY1237921.4%
      Puryear, TN7128118.7%
      Hazel, KY3938316.7%
      Hardin, KY5208416.1%
      Murray, KY19,988927.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Matteson, IL19,9901000.4%
      Affton, MO19,993928.2%
      Johnstown, PA19,9808019.6%
      Evergreen Park, IL19,9791098.6%
      Montrose, CO19,9701065.7%
      Murray, KY19,988927.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.