A+
9%
Overall NAT. AVG.
10%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
14%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Search Homes for Sale
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Elk City Oklahoma National
Cost of living9186100
Goods & Services9091100
Groceries9594100
Health care9793100
Housing8669100
Transportation9493100
Utilities9898100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Elk City, OK

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Elk City? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Elk City stands at 91, making it 9% lower than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

The cost of living in Elk City closely mirrors the national average in comparison to other cities nationwide. Essential items such as groceries, goods and services, health care and utilities are priced at a level consistent with similar urban areas. This means that residents of Elk City can anticipate that their daily expenses will remain reasonably in line with those of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

Is Elk City Affordable?

Is Elk City an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Elk City, the median home price is 12.6% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 18.2% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Elk City come in at $43,795, which is 20.8% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Elk City?

Taxes: Regions that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an increased cost of living. Higher taxes for everyday necessities such as clothing, utilities and food inevitably leads to higher expenditures. Additionally, a higher income tax rate can also play a role in elevating the overall cost of living. In Elk City, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 4.5%, and income tax rates kick off at 0.25%.

Housing: When everyone's vying for homes in popular areas, it drives up property prices and rents, making the overall cost of living surge. On the flip side, in less sought-after locales, where housing demand is low, prices tend to dip, resulting in a more economical cost of living. In Elk City, the housing index comes in at 14.3% lower than the national average.

Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Elk City, the groceries index is 5.4% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Elk City cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

New Real Estate Listings in Elk City Area
Search Homes for Sale in Elk City, OK

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Elk City is 6% higher than the Oklahoma average
  • The cost of living in Elk City is 9% lower than the national average
  • Elk City housing is 14% lower than the national average
  • Oklahoma general sales tax is 12% lower than the national average
  • Oklahoma state income tax is 90% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Elk City

See all the best places to live around Elk City

Compare Elk City, OK Cost of Living

      vs
      How would you rate the cost of living in Elk City?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      Is the cost of living increasing or decreasing in Elk City?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      See all Elk City poll results

      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$55,938$4,662$1,305$1,678
      Renters$32,026$2,669$747$961
      To approximate the cost of living and the housing affordability in Elk City, OK, we can look at the percentage of income that is available to be spent on monthly housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). To stay on the safe side, a consumer should not spend more than 28% of his or her gross income on housing-related expenses and costs and not more than 36% of income on all expenses and debts. Homeowners in Elk City have a median income of $55,938. Therefore, the amount that a consumer should spend on housing costs should be no more than $1,305 per month to avoid calamity and poverty. The renters in the city have an income of about $32,026, which would make their monthly maximum allowable rental costs $747.

      Oklahoma Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Oklahoma 4.5% 11%

      Oklahoma Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Oklahoma 0.25% 4.75%

      Goods & Services

      Item Elk City National avg. Difference
      Haircut $18.44$24.2624.0%
      Beauty Salon $40.04$45.5612.1%
      Toothpaste $3.53$3.704.6%
      Shampoo $1.24$1.283.3%
      Movie $11.19$12.137.7%
      Bowling $16.67$18.007.4%

      Groceries

      Item Elk City National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.10$5.844.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.39$1.5711.6%
      Milk $4.54$4.672.8%
      Potatoes $4.93$4.930.1%
      Pizza $12.10$12.090.1%
      Beer $9.83$10.415.6%

      Health Care

      Item Elk City National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $119.30$125.685.1%
      Doctor $100.35$135.7826.1%
      Dentist $102.46$113.299.6%
      Ibuprofen $10.38$10.652.6%
      Lipitor $511.35$468.609.1%

      Housing

      Item Elk City National avg. Difference
      Home Price $161,500.00$184,700.0012.6%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,086.56$2,346.6911.1%
      Apartment Rent $776.00$949.0018.2%

      Transportation

      Item Elk City National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.10$3.4610.5%
      Tire Balancing $62.19$59.923.8%

      Utilities

      Item Elk City National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $182.99$193.995.7%
      Phone $193.02$192.250.4%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Foss, OK163937.0%
      Butler CDP, OK145937.0%
      Dill City, OK3267525.3%
      Sayre, OK4,4807921.4%
      Hammon, OK4998019.6%
      Elk City, OK11,544919.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Muscoy, CA11,54612020.5%
      Somerset, KY11,5488911.2%
      Valley Falls, RI11,54811514.9%
      Magnolia, AR11,5378514.8%
      Mexico, MO11,5358218.3%
      Elk City, OK11,544919.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.