How Much Does It Cost to Live In Grand Rapids, MI?
Grand Rapids is a city located in West Michigan, in the United States of America.
The economy of the city is growing, and jobs from entry-level to professional are available to people on multiple levels of careers.
It is a college town, known for its medical facilities and many opportunities for hopefuls.
The cost of living is quite expensive compared to outlying cities and towns, but the good thing about it is that it has the feel of a large city without being a large city.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
- Albuquerque, NM
- Anchorage, AK
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Arlington, TX
- Asheville, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Bellevue, WA
- Bellingham, WA
- Berkeley, CA
- Birmingham, AL
- Boise, ID
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Brooklyn, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Burlington, VT
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chattanooga, TN
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
- Gainesville, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Irvine, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Oakland, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Olympia, WA
- Orlando, FL
- Peoria, IL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, ME
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Reno, NV
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Saint Louis, MO
- Saint Paul, MN
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- Salem, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Spokane, WA
- Springfield, MO
- Syracuse, NY
- Tacoma, WA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Wichita, KS
RESTAURANTS
The food and beer in Grand Rapids is superb.
Many actually claim that Grand Rapids has food that rivals cities like NYC and Chicago.
The bar selection is endless, and it would take you more than a month’s worth of time to experience what there is to offer when it comes to beer in Grand Rapids.
There are endless amazing restaurant choices here.
MARKETS
When it comes to shopping for groceries, you can go by with around 200$ a month if you shop carefully, buy more vegetables than meat and avoid the small supermarkets that are more expensive.
If you plan on cooking, be sure that you’ll save a lot of money in comparison to eating out every day.
TRANSPORTATION
Like most mid-sized U.S. cities, an automobile is the most convenient means of getting around in Grand Rapids, with convenient free parking available in most places outside of downtown.
There are several taxi companies that operate in the city, and cabs can be picked up and hailed on the streets.
Interwoven bicycle paths and trails make getting around by bike within the city simple and very economical.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
The price of utilities varies wildly, depending on how much you use electricity, water, and gas, how well your home or apartment is insulated, the size of your home, the time of year, and how energy conscious you are.
For an apartment around 85m2, basic utilities will cost you 133.84$ approximately.
However, the internet here is a bit more expensive, amounting to around 60$ per month.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Having fun and indulging in sports is relatively inexpensive in Grand Rapids, which is sort of expected in all American cities.
A membership at the gym or a fitness club can’t go by without you cashing out around 90$ though, while movie lovers will have to pay up – 12$ per person for a cinema ticket.
CLOTHING & SHOES
There are several enclosed shopping malls and retail centers in the city and in its suburbs but they have pretty much the same stores as similar malls in other cities.
The prices are reasonable.
If you want a pair of Levi’s, it will cost you around 60$.
Quality sneakers are around 75$.
RENT PER MONTH
Renting in the city of Grand Rapids is pretty expensive and even more so if you have bad credit.
If you’re looking to rent an apartment and not pay too much, you will need to stroll out of the city center and here you can rent one for a bit more than 1200$.
Add to that 300$ more if you’re thinking about the city center.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Grand Rapids, MI
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $18.00 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $8.0 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.07 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.81 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $4.08 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.25 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.75 |
| Monthly Pass | $35.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.96 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $133.84 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $59.88 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $93.50 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $30.00 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $12.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $59.45 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $37.00 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $75.71 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1541.67 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1200.00 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2866.67 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Grand Rapids, MI?
In Grand Rapids, its citizens spend most money on rent, as it can be pretty steep in certain areas.
Next on the list of biggest expenses in Grand Rapids is definitely food: a good chunk of one’s paycheck gets spent in markets and grocery stores.
Restaurants and transportation go side by side like in most countries – though if you stick to fast food chains – you won’t pay that much.
Finally, the last on the list are, as per usual, clothing and sports, with sports having three times higher percentage than clothing. Seems like fitness membership is very important to a lot of people in Grand Rapids!
Average Costs Breakdown
Grand Rapids, MI: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Citizens of Grand Rapids have a relatively reasonable minimum wage which allows its citizens to cover their rent and additional expenses without stress.
Their monthly average net salary is around 5,416.67$.
This means that, for the most part, people that live here are able to manage their salary in such a way to live comfortably and not worry about making ends meet.
However, rent is still pretty expensive compared to other expenses so, those that are renting will save up much less from their salary, but it could still be considered a high standard of living.
Grand Rapids Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Grand Rapids Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
- MUGGING RISK: HIGH
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
