Ann Arbor vs Morgantown
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Ann Arbor
Morgantown
The Verdict
Morgantown is 26.7% less expensive than Ann Arbor overall. A household earning $75,000 in Ann Arbor would need approximately $59,211 in Morgantown to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Ann Arbor has the same purchasing power as $59,211 in Morgantown.
Conversely, $75,000 in Morgantown equals $95,000 in Ann Arbor.
Living in Ann Arbor vs Morgantown
Housing Costs
Ann Arbor's housing index of 135 is higher Morgantown's 81, translating to median home prices of $400,000 vs $259,000. The $141,000 difference in home prices means roughly $9,168 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,600/mo in Ann Arbor compared to $950/mo in Morgantown, a monthly difference of $650.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 101 in Ann Arbor and 95 in Morgantown. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $480/month in Ann Arbor vs $451/month in Morgantown. Morgantown offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $348/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 99 in Ann Arbor and 91 in Morgantown. Monthly utility bills average approximately $396 in Ann Arbor vs $364 in Morgantown. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 101 in Ann Arbor and 88 in Morgantown. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. The 13-point gap reflects real differences in provider costs, insurance market competition, and regional healthcare infrastructure.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $65,024 in Ann Arbor and $44,700 in Morgantown. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,039 and $49,667 respectively. Ann Arbor residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite higher nominal wages.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,517/month to housing in Ann Arbor vs $1,043/month in Morgantown. In Ann Arbor, median rent of $1,600/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Morgantown, median rent of $950/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 54 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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