Cost of living in Buffalo Grove research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Buffalo Grove is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Buffalo Grove is 125, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Buffalo Grove is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Buffalo Grove ranks as the #291 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Buffalo Grove ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Buffalo Grove is $436,992.
The median income in Buffalo Grove is $129,820.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Buffalo Grove has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Buffalo Grove has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Buffalo Grove ranks as #291 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Buffalo Grove ranks as the #45 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Buffalo Grove, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Buffalo Grove. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Buffalo Grove is 105.
The Groceries index in Buffalo Grove is 105.
The Health index in Buffalo Grove is 110.
The Housing index in Buffalo Grove is 183.
The Transportation index in Buffalo Grove is 109.
The Utilities index in Buffalo Grove is 91.
| Living Expense | Buffalo Grove | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 125 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 183 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 91 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Buffalo Grove is $436,992.
The Median Rent in Buffalo Grove is $2,042.
The Median Income in Buffalo Grove is $129,820.
The Home Value To Income in Buffalo Grove is 3.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Buffalo Grove is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Buffalo Grove | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $436,992 | $283,508 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,042 | $1,227 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $129,820 | $81,702 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.4x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Buffalo Grove | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $17.91 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.58 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.69 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.44 | $45.56 |
| Item | Buffalo Grove | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.87 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.41 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.0 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
| Item | Buffalo Grove | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $118.27 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $167.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $128.22 | $113.29 |
| Item | Buffalo Grove | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.56 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.87 | $59.92 |
| Item | Buffalo Grove | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.58 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $210.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Buffalo Grove. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 1.0x Buffalo Grove.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.2x Buffalo Grove.
Elmhurst, IL has a cost of living index of 139, 1.1x Buffalo Grove.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Buffalo Grove |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Heights, IL | 76,220 | 124 | 1.0x |
| Glenview, IL | 47,682 | 149 | 1.2x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,538 | 139 | 1.1x |
| Park Ridge, IL | 39,241 | 138 | 1.1x |
| Wheeling, IL | 38,495 | 108 | 0.9x |
| Northbrook, IL | 34,642 | 153 | 1.2x |
| Highland Park, IL | 30,229 | 148 | 1.2x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,550 | 164 | 1.3x |
| Vernon Hills, IL | 26,772 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Lake Zurich, IL | 19,727 | 127 | 1.0x |