What is the cost of living in East St. Louis, IL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, East St. Louis has an overall cost of living index of 76, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, East St. Louis has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Illinois's index of 98.
The standard of living in East St. Louis ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies East St. Louis ranks as the #335 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in East St. Louis, check out:
East St. Louis Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in East St. Louis. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in East St. Louis is 95.
The Groceries index in East St. Louis is 96.
The Health index in East St. Louis is 35.
The Housing index in East St. Louis is 95.
The Transportation index in East St. Louis is 96.
The Utilities index in East St. Louis is 93.
| Living Expense | East St. Louis | Illinois | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 76 | 98 | 100 |
| Services | 95 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 99 | 100 |
| Health | 35 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 95 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 96 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 93 | 101 | 100 |
East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
East St. Louis, 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 East St. Louis is $39,296.
The Median Rent in East St. Louis is $847.
The Median Income in East St. Louis is $35,700.
The Home Value To Income in East St. Louis is 1.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in East St. Louis is 0.28x.
| Statistic | East St. Louis | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $39,296 | $285,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $847 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $35,700 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 1.1x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.28x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
East St. Louis, IL Costs By Category
Detailed East St. Louis Services costs vs. Illinois
| Item | East St. Louis | 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 East St. Louis Groceries costs vs. Illinois
| Item | East St. Louis | 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 East St. Louis Health costs vs. Illinois
| Item | East St. Louis | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $125.72 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $124.51 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed East St. Louis Transportation costs vs. Illinois
| Item | East St. Louis | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.2 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $50.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed East St. Louis Utilities costs vs. Illinois
| Item | East St. Louis | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $133.84 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $188.69 | $192.25 |
East St. Louis SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around East St. Louis
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around East St. Louis. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
O'Fallon, IL has a cost of living index of 107, 1.4x East St. Louis.
Edwardsville, IL has a cost of living index of 104, 1.4x East St. Louis.
Swansea, IL has a cost of living index of 100, 1.3x East St. Louis.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. East St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| O'Fallon, IL | 32,262 | 107 | 1.4x |
| Edwardsville, IL | 26,474 | 104 | 1.4x |
| Swansea, IL | 14,710 | 100 | 1.3x |
| Shiloh, IL | 14,572 | 104 | 1.4x |
| Glen Carbon, IL | 13,977 | 106 | 1.4x |
| Troy, IL | 11,647 | 102 | 1.3x |
| Waterloo, IL | 11,129 | 99 | 1.3x |
| Columbia, IL | 11,127 | 103 | 1.4x |
| Mascoutah, IL | 8,816 | 100 | 1.3x |
| Maryville, IL | 8,316 | 102 | 1.3x |
