Carbondale, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carbondale, IL Summary

Cost of living in Carbondale 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 Carbondale 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 Carbondale is 87, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carbondale is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Carbondale ranks as the #62 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Carbondale ranks as the #777 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carbondale is $132,146.

  • The median income in Carbondale is $29,670.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
87
Carbondale's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carbondale, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carbondale has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Carbondale has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Carbondale ranks as #62 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Carbondale ranks as the #274 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Carbondale, check out:

62 out of 336
In Illinois
777 out of 6,489
In America

Carbondale Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carbondale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Carbondale is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Carbondale is 98.

  • The Health index in Carbondale is 89.

  • The Housing index in Carbondale is 70.

  • The Transportation index in Carbondale is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Carbondale is 103.

Living Expense Carbondale Illinois National Average
Overall 87 97 100
Services 93 95 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 89 93 100
Housing 70 95 100
Transportation 94 102 100
Utilities 103 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Carbondale Cost of Living Vs. IL

Carbondale, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Carbondale is $132,146.

  • The Median Rent in Carbondale is $750.

  • The Median Income in Carbondale is $29,670.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carbondale is 4.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carbondale is 0.3x.

Statistic Carbondale Illinois United States
Median Home Value $132,146 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $750 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $29,670 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.5x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.3x 0.18x 0.21x
$132,146
Median Home Value
$750
Median Rent
$29,670
Median Income

Carbondale, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Carbondale Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Carbondale Illinois
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $11.28 $12.13
Bowling $16.92 $18
Haircut $21.19 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.57 $45.56

Detailed Carbondale Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Carbondale Illinois
Ground Beef $6.4 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.5 $4.67
Potatoes $5.28 $4.93
Pizza $10.84 $12.09
Beer $9.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Carbondale Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Carbondale Illinois
Optometrist $125.72 $125.68
Doctor $124.51 $135.78
Dentist $100.78 $113.29

Detailed Carbondale Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Carbondale Illinois
Gasoline $3.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.0 $59.92

Detailed Carbondale Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Carbondale Illinois
All Electricity $133.84 $193.99
Phone $188.69 $192.25

Carbondale SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
5
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carbondale

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carbondale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Marion, IL has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Carbondale.

  • Herrin, IL has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Carbondale.

  • Murphysboro, IL has a cost of living index of 82, 0.9x Carbondale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carbondale
Marion, IL 16,796 89 1.0x
Herrin, IL 12,271 89 1.0x
Murphysboro, IL 6,804 82 0.9x
Carterville, IL 5,822 98 1.1x
Du Quoin, IL 5,780 82 0.9x

Articles About Illinois

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