5 Cheapest Places to Live in Michigan, 2022

Living in Michigan offers city centers, idyllic suburbs, and access to lakefront shores. Before packing and launching your apartment hunt, you should brush up on the cost of living in Michigan and which place to call home.

Michigan offers a variety of landscapes and cities to choose from, and fortunately, they're also among the most affordable. If you want to find the cheapest places to live in Michigan, start with these five cities.

Note: The data provided below comes from our rent estimates. These numbers expand beyond those listed on our platform. For further information, learn about our methodology.

Michigan Average Rent Prices

Before looking for the cheapest apartments in Michigan, learn more about the average rent prices around the state.

• The average rent for a Michigan studio apartment is: $1,041
• The average rent for a Michigan 1-bedroom apartment is: $1,033
• The average rent for a Michigan 2-bedroom apartment is: $1,358
• The average rent for a Michigan 3-bedroom apartment is: $1,628

1. Detroit

• Population: 639,111
• Median 2-Bedroom Apartment Rent: $929.00
• Rent Change in the Past Year: 3.68%
• Median Household Income: $32,498
• Walk score: 51
• Transit score: 36
• Bike score: 52

Detroit was settled in 1701 by French colonists as a New France fur trading post. It expanded during the 19th century as more people settled around the Great Lakes. During the 1920s, the rise of the auto industry and an influx of immigration turned Detroit into an industrial epicenter. However, the Great Depression devastated Detroit and has experienced uneven growth and downfalls.

Today, Detroit attracts people with its affordable cost of living and creative and entrepreneurial pursuits. The city is home to the automotive industry, health care, defense, information technology, and homeland security industries. Detroit has an uneven age distribution, with most people between the ages of 25 and 45. The median age is 31-years-old, making Detroit an ideal spot for young professionals and growing families if you're looking for job opportunities.

Detroit boasts miles of riverfront with parks, plazas, pavilions, pathways, fountains, and greenspace despite its reputation for urban grit. Greenfield Village features an 80-acre-plus outdoor museum with authentic structures. For food and live music, the Eastern market is the place to gather on weekends.

Belle Isle Park offers golfing, paddle boarding, and play areas for those who like getting active. The Detroit Zoo is also a favorite pastime and includes a 4-D simulator, carousel, and giraffe encounter. In addition, hiking, biking, and picnicking opportunities are available at 13 Metroparks within driving distance of Detroit.

Detroit is the largest midwestern city and has plenty of art and culture. Top attractions include the Detroit Institute of Arts and Motown Museum. For a Broadway-style show, the Detroit Opera House never disappoints. Locals root for the home team at Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions play. After a day exploring Detroit, dine at Sozai Restaurant and U.S. Korean fried chicken at Bonchon Farmington Hills.

Learn more about the average rent in Detroit.

2. Lansing

• Population: 112,644
• Median 2-Bedroom Apartment Rent: $989.00
• Rent Change in the Past Year: 13.42%
• Median Household Income: $44,233
• Walk score: 46
• Transit score: 34
• Bike score: 55

Early settlers were first recorded in Lansing in 1790 by fur traders, though they didn’t officially survey the land until 1825. Lansing eventually became Michigan's capital. Like Detroit, Lansing's industrialization took root in the automotive industry.

Lansing's affordability, arts, culture, and low unemployment rate make it welcoming to young professionals and families. The median age in the city is just over 32-years-old, with the majority of the population between 18-years-old and 44-years-old. Lansing's industries are diversified, including manufacturing, insurance, government service, banking, health care, and education.

On sunny afternoons, take a walk along the River Trail heading into Old Town and beyond. A mix of paved and unpaved trails makes you feel like you're outside the city and on a forested adventure. Visitors gather at the 20-acre Potter Park Zoo with over 500 animal residents. Outdoor festivals are also plentiful, and residents enjoy the annual Michigan Nordic Fire Festival and year-round fun in Old Town and Downtown.

Lansing is also home to waterways and ponds, perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and SUP boarding. The MSU River Trail and Horticultural Gardens and Greenhouses offer an urban retreat and 14-acres of diverse gardens. Lansing golf courses include the Country Club of Lansing, Groesbeck Golf Course, and Royal Scot Golf Course.

The Michigan History Center features unique historic artifacts regarding the state’s Native American roots. Kids get hands-on experience at the Impression Science Center, and R.E. Olds Transportation Museum takes visitors to look at the local automotive industry. For a bite to eat, head to try Zoobie's Old Town Tavern for casual pub food or Cask & Company Kitchen and Bar for innovative and classic sushi.

Learn more about the average rent in Lansing.

3. Grand Rapids

• Population: 198,917
• Median 2-Bedroom Apartment Rent: $1,243.00
• Rent Change in the Past Year: 14.04%
• Median Household Income: $51,333
• Walk score: 56
• Transit score: 37
• Bike score: 52

Grand Rapids is located along the Grand River and east of Lake Michigan. During its early settlement, the area was originally a trading post before growing to 1,200 residents living among Native Americans.

The median age in Grand Rapids is 31-years-old and with a mix of college students, young professionals, and families. Job opportunities in the city are substantial, with leading industries including healthcare, grocery, shopping, manufacturing, consumer goods, automotive, education, and furniture. The area is often called "Furniture City" due to how many furniture manufacturers call Grand Rapids home.

Grand Rapids offers city living without skimping on lakeshores, beaches, and dunes. For some time outdoors, try the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, or take a stroll and grab some wine at Robinette's Apple Haus & Winery.

The John Ball Zoo is over 130-years-old and is home to over 1,000 animals from around the world. One of the more unusual attractions around Grand Rapids is its "fish ladder sculpture." A local artist built the structure to assist salmon in jumping over a six-foot dam to reach spawning grounds while giving the public a unique piece of outdoor art.

Beyond the incredible nature opportunities, arts, culture, and history are plentiful around the city. The Grand Rapids Public Museum offers a fascinating walk past reconstructed storefronts accurate to the times of the 1890s, and kids ride a 1928 Spillman carousel. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is housed in a LEED Gold Certified building Downtown that's home to 6,000 works of art, including paintings, photographs, and sculptures.

Learn more about the average rent in Grand Rapids.

4. Belleville

• Population: 3,914
• Median 2-Bedroom Apartment Rent: $1,245.00
• Rent Change in the Past Year: 19.94%
• Median Household Income: $52,924
• Walk score: n/a
• Transit score: n/a
• Bike score: n/a

Situated on the Huron River, Belleville was first established as a hamlet in 1847 in western Metro Detroit in honor of landowner James Bell. Belleville gets its name from the French word for "beautiful town." In 1881, the Wabash Railroad began taking travelers through the area, and Belleville grew as a natural trade route, lumber center, and sawmill center.

Belleville's median age is 40-years-old, although there is a substantial population of 18-year-olds to 45-year-olds. As a result, the city is a welcoming spot for college students, young professionals, and growing families. Belleville's job opportunities include manufacturing, communication equipment, telecommunications, transportation and warehousing, utilities, and educational services.

You’ll find plenty of trails, waterfront fun, and golf in Belleville. Lake Huron Metropark features a little of everything with a par-3 golf course, fishing, canoeing, pond skating in winter, and a water park. Families gather at the Turtle Cove Family Aquatic Center with activities for toddlers to teenagers.

For some history, the Yankee Air Museum walks guests through aviation history and its technology through past wars and the emergence of commercial aviation. Fishermen enjoy Belleville Lake for catching smallmouth, largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, and bullhead. Check regulations in advance; the lake is usually catch-and-release. After a day enjoying Belleville, locals gather at the cozy Egan's pub for a cold beer and pub fare in a laid-back setting.

Learn more about the average rent in Belleville.

5. Ypsilanti

• Population: 20,648
• Median 2-Bedroom Apartment Rent: $1,311.00
• Rent Change in the Past Year: 17.90%
• Median Household Income: $40,028
• Walk score: 62
• Transit score: 43
• Bike score: 66

Ypsilanti, Michigan, commonly shortened to Ypsi, was established as a trading post in 1809 by a fur trader from Montreal. It was eventually incorporated into Michigan and grew as an essential player in the automobile industry during the 1920s. The city also holds the claim of fame as home to the first Dominos.

Ypsilanti is popular with young professionals and families for its stunning parks, quiet neighborhoods, and year-round events. Residents have their choice of major industries and employers, including Eastern Michigan University, agriculture, oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, wholesale, retail, transportation, and utilities. The median age in Ypsilanti is 24-years-old, and it is an affordable place to settle in and grow a career.

Ypsilanti boasts over 23,000 public park and recreation areas with golfing, mountain biking, canoeing, hiking, and fishing on the Huron. Ford Lake is an ideal spot for watching the sunset, while Pineview Golf Course and Washtenaw Golf Club offer golfing. On hot summer days, families head to the Rolling Hills Water Park.

There are a few unique shops and museums around Ypsilanti, like its namesake Automotive Heritage Museum depicting the history of General Motor manufacturing and artifacts. In addition, the Michigan Firehouse Museum features a collection of fire hats worn over the years, a bunkhouse, a fire pole, and old Smokey Bear memorabilia.

For a day out in the city, the Depot Town neighborhood is filled with a handful of restaurants, brewpubs, and a weekly farmers market. Residents gather for bar games, brews, and mechanical bull rides; the Tap Room delivers on fun.

Learn more about the average rent in Ypsilanti.

Final Thoughts - Where Should I Move to In Michigan?

Michigan is filled with incredible lakes, shorelines, and waterside fun. Although the outdoors are among its crowning gems, its cities boast arts, culture, and an affordable price tag. So it's easy to see why people are moving to the best places to live in Michigan to grow their careers or settle into high quality of life without the expense.

If you're ready to move to the Great Lake State, start researching the cost of living in Michigan to brush up on everything from taxes to utilities. Next, start exploring cheap apartments and rents to suit your budget. Make the process easier by registering with Apartment List today and start checking out the thousands of available apartments to rent in Michigan!