Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MI and Yakima, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MI and Yakima, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,298 per month in Rochester, MI vs $2,289 in Yakima, WA, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Rochester, MI vs $3,296 in Yakima, WA, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,454 per month in Rochester, MI vs $4,303 in Yakima, WA, rent included.

Rochester, MI and Yakima, WA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Rochester, MI and Yakima, WA sit above the global median – Rochester, MI by 67%, Yakima, WA by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$16.20 $16.20

52.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$63.7 $63.7

27.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

$10.79 $10.79

41.80%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$4.75 $4.75

3.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.22 $2.22

14.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.55 $2.55

-14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.66 $3.66

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.27 $4.27

42.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.99 $0.99

-23.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 $2.91

$4.09 $4.09

-28.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.68 $3.68

-12.23%

Eggs

$2.82 $2.82

$3.17 $3.17

-11.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 $9.62

$11.66 $11.66

-17.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.54 $12.54

$8.89 $8.89

41.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$14.83 $14.83

-26.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.55 $3.55

27.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.57 $1.57

-17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.05 $4.05

10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.49 $3.49

55.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.20 $2.20

-1.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.16 $2.16

-0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.04 $2.04

-51.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.66 $1.66

63.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 $9.82

$12.17 $12.17

-19.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.10 $14.10

6.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.75 $1.75

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 $5.92

$4.98 $4.98

18.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 $0.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.53 $30.53

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.21 $1.21

-24.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.3K $36.3K

$36.6K $36.6K

-0.82%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.5K $27.5K

-7.65%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$120 $120

$225 $225

-46.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$36.75 $36.75

$56.0 $56.0

-34.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$69.9 $69.9

-7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.20 $22.20

$51.4 $51.4

-56.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.41 $34.41

Cinema Ticket

$9.56 $9.56

$15.19 $15.19

-37.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,294 $1,294

$1,704 $1,704

-24.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K $20.1K

$7,295 $7,295

176.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$61.3 $61.3

-7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.77 $21.77

$45.30 $45.30

-51.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$80.2 $80.2

50.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$106 $106

40.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 $1,195

$1,028 $1,028

16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 $1,160

$1,048 $1,048

10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 $2,165

$1,683 $1,683

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 $1,727

$1,814 $1,814

-4.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,124 $4,124

$2,499 $2,499

65.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 $2,231

$2,506 $2,506

-10.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,502 $5,502

$3,527 $3,527

56.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

6.09

-0.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rochester, MI: September 5, 2026

Last update for Yakima, WA: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,195 in Rochester, MI versus $1,028 in Yakima, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Rochester, MI. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Rochester, MI versus $64.0 in Yakima, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $349 – making Yakima, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rochester, MI vs Yakima, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,446 per month in Rochester, MI and $3,434 in Yakima, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yakima, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Rochester, MI and $64.0 in Yakima, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,294 per month in Rochester, MI and $1,704 in Yakima, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Yakima, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,289, than in Rochester, MI at $2,298. In Yakima, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rochester, MI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yakima, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Yakima, WA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rochester, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.