UCO students consider costs ahead of summer housing deadline
The VistaStatistical breakdown shows price differences
Xander Strickland
Reporter
In general, Edmond living expenses rank fairly well in affordability, especially against the national average. According to several data aggregate sources including zerodown.com and bestplaces.net, the Edmond cost of living is estimated to be about 85% of the national average, and only 4% higher than the Oklahoma average. This includes the total cost of necessities including housing, food and taxes, and means that Edmond is 15% more affordable than the national average, but slightly more expensive than some other cities in Oklahoma. For example, Stillwater, a college town built around Oklahoma State University, ranks 81 on the national scale, making it 20% cheaper than the national average and almost 2% cheaper than the Oklahoma average.
To break down the specific costs of which these statistics are comprised, first let’s look at some rent prices for one- and two-bedroom apartments near UCO. The bestplaces.net estimator puts 1-bedroom apartment rent at about $1000, with 2-bedrooms going for rates in the ballpark of $1300. A quick visit to apartments.com confirms these estimates, with offers for two-bedrooms from Windrush Apartments on 200 W 15th Street, Spring Creek of Edmond Apartments at 777 E 15th Street, The Greens at Coffee Creek, and The Boulevard on 240 E 15th Street going for $1100-$1700, $1300-$2000, $1200, and $1000-$1200, respectively. Slightly more affordable options for two-bedroom apartments include those at Kennedy Place, Edmond at Twenty500, Bennett Pointe, and The Parke at Central, which for the most part sit right at the $900-$1000 range. Most of these locations also include 1-bedroom options that can fall anywhere from $700 (Central Plaza Living) to $1200 (The Campbell) but which generally sit near $850 (The Parke at Central, Kennedy Place Apartments, and Ten15 at Hurd), just under the estimated price of $1000.
Factoring in other necessities, Edmond prices are, again, notably lower than the U.S. average; gas, electricity, and doctor visit prices sit at $3.12/gal, $186/month and $124/month—7%, 4% and 6.5% lower than the aforementioned averages. Monthly recommended expenditures for food and groceries ranges from $280-$370, according to numbeo.com. As for internet, allconnect.com shows plans for decent internet speeds starting at $50-$60 per month from providers like Cox, AT&T and EarthLink, with some options as low as $40/month from T Home Internet or as high as $75/month from hughes.net.