Monroe, MI vs Muskegon, MI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Muskegon, MI is 1.0% less expensive than Monroe, MI (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Monroe works out to about $74,200 in Muskegon, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher in Muskegon, while housing is 0.6% lower.
- Typical asking rent is $1,288 a month in Muskegon and $1,277 in Monroe, nearly the same (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $255,000 in Muskegon and $270,000 in Monroe.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.2%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Everyday costs, not housing, drive the gap between Monroe and Muskegon
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.5 | 92.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 74.6 | 74.2 |
| Utilities | 93.7 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| Category | Monroe | Muskegon | Muskegon vs Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.5 | 92.5 | −1.0% |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 74.6 | 74.2 | −0.6% |
| Utilities | 93.7 | 92.8 | −0.9% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,277 | $1,288 | +0.9% |
| Typical home value | $270,000 | $255,000 | −5.6% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Monroe | $75,000 | $74,200 | −1.0% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Monroe and Muskegon has narrowed since 2008: 3.0 points then, 1.0 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.2 | 93.2 |
| 2009 | 96.4 | 93.9 |
| 2010 | 97.7 | 93.6 |
| 2011 | 98.2 | 91.3 |
| 2012 | 94.1 | 90.8 |
| 2013 | 95.4 | 90.7 |
| 2014 | 96.7 | 92.7 |
| 2015 | 95.6 | 87.3 |
| 2016 | 93.0 | 90.3 |
| 2017 | 93.5 | 89.9 |
| 2018 | 95.3 | 91.8 |
| 2019 | 93.6 | 93.4 |
| 2020 | 93.5 | 93.4 |
| 2021 | 92.0 | 92.0 |
| 2022 | 93.3 | 91.8 |
| 2023 | 93.3 | 91.7 |
| 2024 | 93.5 | 92.5 |
Goods
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.9 | 99.0 |
| 2009 | 102.1 | 97.5 |
| 2010 | 100.4 | 96.5 |
| 2011 | 101.0 | 96.0 |
| 2012 | 99.5 | 97.2 |
| 2013 | 100.0 | 97.0 |
| 2014 | 99.5 | 98.4 |
| 2015 | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| 2016 | 99.1 | 96.8 |
| 2017 | 99.5 | 94.9 |
| 2018 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2020 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| 2021 | 94.4 | 94.4 |
| 2022 | 92.1 | 92.1 |
| 2023 | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| 2024 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 77.5 | 70.7 |
| 2009 | 77.5 | 75.5 |
| 2010 | 90.0 | 74.5 |
| 2011 | 92.8 | 71.9 |
| 2012 | 74.7 | 65.6 |
| 2013 | 78.5 | 64.4 |
| 2014 | 83.4 | 73.6 |
| 2015 | 86.5 | 56.6 |
| 2016 | 74.5 | 65.8 |
| 2017 | 80.3 | 67.3 |
| 2018 | 86.6 | 68.8 |
| 2019 | 73.9 | 75.2 |
| 2020 | 79.2 | 80.8 |
| 2021 | 71.1 | 71.8 |
| 2022 | 80.7 | 76.2 |
| 2023 | 77.9 | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 74.6 | 74.2 |
Utilities
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.3 | 93.0 |
| 2009 | 106.1 | 100.3 |
| 2010 | 106.2 | 102.3 |
| 2011 | 107.7 | 103.9 |
| 2012 | 109.4 | 104.6 |
| 2013 | 108.9 | 101.7 |
| 2014 | 102.8 | 93.6 |
| 2015 | 103.5 | 93.1 |
| 2016 | 104.3 | 91.9 |
| 2017 | 104.0 | 94.0 |
| 2018 | 100.9 | 97.0 |
| 2019 | 96.9 | 94.8 |
| 2020 | 100.5 | 98.0 |
| 2021 | 101.5 | 99.0 |
| 2022 | 93.1 | 93.2 |
| 2023 | 94.5 | 91.9 |
| 2024 | 93.7 | 92.8 |
Other services
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.2 | 100.1 |
| 2009 | 99.2 | 99.7 |
| 2010 | 98.0 | 99.1 |
| 2011 | 97.4 | 96.9 |
| 2012 | 96.6 | 97.1 |
| 2013 | 97.5 | 97.9 |
| 2014 | 98.8 | 96.6 |
| 2015 | 96.6 | 95.0 |
| 2016 | 94.9 | 96.3 |
| 2017 | 93.4 | 95.3 |
| 2018 | 96.5 | 96.5 |
| 2019 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 99.6 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,288 in Muskegon vs $1,277 in Monroe
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | $909 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,043 | $952 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,062 | $958 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,102 | $992 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,107 | $1,026 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,135 | $1,044 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,103 | $1,032 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,091 | $1,043 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,115 | $1,066 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,162 | $1,071 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,144 | $1,079 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,184 | $1,108 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,197 | $1,152 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,208 | $1,160 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,180 | $1,172 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,199 | $1,167 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,219 | $1,201 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,224 | $1,225 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,209 | $1,196 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,205 | $1,270 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,260 | $1,302 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,277 | $1,288 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $255,000 in Muskegon vs $270,000 in Monroe
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Monroe, MI
- Muskegon, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Monroe, MI | Muskegon, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $147K | $96K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $149K | $99K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $152K | $102K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $155K | $104K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $157K | $107K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $157K | $110K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $158K | $112K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $160K | $115K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $163K | $119K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $166K | $122K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $166K | $126K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $167K | $129K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $169K | $132K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $171K | $136K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $175K | $139K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $176K | $140K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $180K | $143K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $183K | $147K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $180K | $149K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $182K | $154K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $184K | $158K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $186K | $159K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $190K | $164K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $199K | $174K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $206K | $184K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $212K | $195K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $212K | $199K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $212K | $201K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $221K | $212K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $231K | $223K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $228K | $224K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $227K | $221K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $227K | $218K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $232K | $221K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $237K | $225K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $239K | $227K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $242K | $231K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $244K | $237K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $244K | $238K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $247K | $239K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $250K | $241K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $251K | $241K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $255K | $245K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $261K | $248K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $266K | $251K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $268K | $253K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $270K | $255K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.