What is the cost of living in Bloomington, IL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bloomington has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Bloomington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Illinois's index of 98.
The standard of living in Bloomington ranks as #107 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Bloomington ranks as the #229 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Bloomington, check out:
Bloomington Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bloomington. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Bloomington is 101.
The Groceries index in Bloomington is 99.
The Health index in Bloomington is 92.
The Housing index in Bloomington is 101.
The Transportation index in Bloomington is 102.
The Utilities index in Bloomington is 96.
| Living Expense | Bloomington | Illinois | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | 98 | 100 |
| Services | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Health | 92 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 101 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 96 | 101 | 100 |
Bloomington Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Bloomington Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Bloomington, IL Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Bloomington is $261,268.
The Median Rent in Bloomington is $1,050.
The Median Income in Bloomington is $77,384.
The Home Value To Income in Bloomington is 3.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Bloomington is 0.16x.
| Statistic | Bloomington | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $261,268 | $285,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,050 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $77,384 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.4x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Bloomington, IL Costs By Category
Detailed Bloomington Services costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Bloomington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.22 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.08 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $17.74 | $18 |
| Haircut | $30.34 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $42.25 | $45.56 |
Detailed Bloomington Groceries costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Bloomington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.21 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.57 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.84 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.83 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.11 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.47 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.93 | $3.7 |
Detailed Bloomington Health costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Bloomington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $242.88 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $139.32 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $123.04 | $113.29 |
Detailed Bloomington Transportation costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Bloomington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.55 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $56.15 | $59.92 |
Detailed Bloomington Utilities costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Bloomington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $145.92 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.19 | $192.25 |
Bloomington SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bloomington
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bloomington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Champaign, IL has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Bloomington.
Normal, IL has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Bloomington.
Urbana, IL has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Bloomington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Bloomington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign, IL | 89,996 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Normal, IL | 53,569 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Urbana, IL | 39,341 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Morton, IL | 16,595 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Washington, IL | 15,919 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Mahomet, IL | 10,049 | 107 | 1.1x |
| Savoy, IL | 8,968 | 107 | 1.1x |
| Monticello, IL | 6,304 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Mount Zion, IL | 5,660 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Eureka, IL | 5,007 | 89 | 0.9x |
