Salem, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Salem, IL Summary

Cost of living in Salem 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 Salem 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 Salem is 83, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Salem is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Salem ranks as the #29 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Salem ranks as the #306 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Salem is $139,017.

  • The median income in Salem is $57,083.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
83
Salem's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Salem, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Salem has an overall cost of living index of 83, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Salem ranks as #29 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Salem ranks as the #307 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Salem, check out:

29 out of 336
In Illinois
306 out of 6,489
In America

Salem Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Salem is 91.

  • The Groceries index in Salem is 96.

  • The Health index in Salem is 87.

  • The Housing index in Salem is 48.

  • The Transportation index in Salem is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Salem is 100.

Living Expense Salem Illinois National Average
Overall 83 97 100
Services 91 95 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 87 93 100
Housing 48 95 100
Transportation 92 102 100
Utilities 100 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Salem Cost of Living Vs. IL

Salem, 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 Salem is $139,017.

  • The Median Rent in Salem is $752.

  • The Median Income in Salem is $57,083.

  • The Home Value To Income in Salem is 2.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Salem is 0.16x.

Statistic Salem Illinois United States
Median Home Value $139,017 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $752 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $57,083 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.4x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.18x 0.21x
$139,017
Median Home Value
$752
Median Rent
$57,083
Median Income

Salem, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Salem Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Salem 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 Salem Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Salem 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 Salem Health Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Salem Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Salem Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Salem SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
4
Affordability
9
Diversity
4
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Salem

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

  • Central, LA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.3x Salem.

  • Mount Vernon, IL has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x Salem.

  • Effingham, IL has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Salem.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Salem
Central, LA 29,603 106 1.3x
Mount Vernon, IL 14,492 83 1.0x
Effingham, IL 12,258 85 1.0x
Highland, IL 10,268 92 1.1x
Mascoutah, IL 8,743 93 1.1x
Greenville, IL 7,159 83 1.0x
Du Quoin, IL 5,780 82 1.0x
Hillsboro, IL 5,693 82 1.0x
Pinckneyville, IL 5,055 80 1.0x

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