Traverse City, Michigan
Living in Traverse City, Michigan is about 8% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 92 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,853 a month, 4% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.08 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 54% of the area's $66,091 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.08
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,853
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.19
Combo meal
Electricity
22.99¢
per kWh · ~$207/mo
Car Insurance
$224/mo
$2,691/yr
Median Household Income
$66,091
54% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,691 in Traverse City. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Traverse City residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,853/mo in Traverse City. 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
$13.19
Casual Dining
$24.48
Monthly Spend
$435.46
+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 Traverse City?
Average 1BR: $1,519/mo · 2BR: $2,187/mo
Traverse City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Traverse City, MI expensive to live in?
Traverse City has a cost of living index of 92, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 8% cheaper than average. It is the 9th most expensive of the 18 Michigan cities we track.
What is the average rent in Traverse City, MI?
Typical rent in Traverse City is $1,853 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 4% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,519 and two bedrooms about $2,187. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Traverse City?
Rent in Traverse City rose 4.5% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Traverse City?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.08 a gallon in Traverse City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Michigan. That is 2% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Traverse City?
Homes in Michigan pay an average of 23.0 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Traverse City is about $207.
How much is car insurance in Traverse City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,691 a year in Michigan, or about $224 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Traverse City?
Median household income in the Traverse City area is $66,091 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $35,702 a year, or 54% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Traverse City compare with the rest of Michigan?
Rent in Traverse City is 38% above the $1,346 average across the 18 Michigan cities we track, and its cost of living index of 92 compares with a state average of 92.
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