Kalamazoo vs Medford
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Kalamazoo
Medford
The Verdict
Kalamazoo is 17.0% less expensive than Medford overall. A household earning $75,000 in Kalamazoo would need approximately $90,341 in Medford 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 Kalamazoo has the same purchasing power as $90,341 in Medford.
Conversely, $75,000 in Medford equals $62,264 in Kalamazoo.
Living in Kalamazoo vs Medford
Housing Costs
Kalamazoo's housing index of 60 is lower Medford's 139, translating to median home prices of $191,000 vs $406,000. The $215,000 difference in home prices means roughly $13,980 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $925/mo in Kalamazoo compared to $1,375/mo in Medford, a monthly difference of $450.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 97 in Kalamazoo and 108 in Medford. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $461/month in Kalamazoo vs $513/month in Medford. Kalamazoo offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $624/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 96 in Kalamazoo and 97 in Medford. Monthly utility bills average approximately $384 in Kalamazoo vs $388 in Medford. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 96 in Kalamazoo and 100 in Medford. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $51,000 in Kalamazoo and $73,200 in Medford. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,955 and $69,057 respectively. Medford residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,190/month to housing in Kalamazoo vs $1,708/month in Medford. In Kalamazoo, median rent of $925/mo fits within this budget. In Medford, median rent of $1,375/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 79 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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