State College, Pennsylvania
Living in State College, Pennsylvania is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 100 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,947 a month, about the same as the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.34 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 51% of the area's $73,170 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.34
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,947
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.99
Combo meal
Electricity
21.77¢
per kWh · ~$196/mo
Car Insurance
$131/mo
$1,572/yr
Median Household Income
$73,170
50.6% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,572 in State College. Compare rates:
📸 Help make this data more accurate
Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what State College residents actually pay.
Save on Gas
Find the cheapest gas near State College:
Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,947/mo in State College. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.99
Casual Dining
$25.68
Monthly Spend
$451.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in State College?
Average 1BR: $1,597/mo · 2BR: $2,297/mo
State College Cost of Living FAQ
Is State College, PA expensive to live in?
State College has a cost of living index of 100, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the 11th most affordable of the 25 Pennsylvania cities we track.
What is the average rent in State College, PA?
Typical rent in State College is $1,947 a month for all home types as of September 2026, about the same as the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,597 and two bedrooms about $2,297. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in State College?
Rent in State College rose 2.0% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in State College?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.34 a gallon in State College as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Pennsylvania. That is 9% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in State College?
Homes in Pennsylvania pay an average of 21.8 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in State College is about $196.
How much is car insurance in State College?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,572 a year in Pennsylvania, or about $131 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in State College?
Median household income in the State College area is $73,170 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $37,054 a year, or 51% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,165 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does State College compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Rent in State College is 45% above the $1,346 average across the 25 Pennsylvania cities we track, and its cost of living index of 100 compares with a state average of 99.
Newsletter
Get the Monthly Price Report
We track gas, groceries, and rent so you know what's coming before it hits your wallet. One email, once a month, no spam.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Data updated monthly from FRED, Zillow, AAA.
How does State College compare to other Pennsylvania cities?
Compare Cities Side by Side →