Vandalia, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Vandalia, IL Summary

Cost of living in Vandalia 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 Vandalia 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 Vandalia is 75, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Vandalia ranks as the #3 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Vandalia ranks as the #11 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Vandalia is $124,712.

  • The median income in Vandalia is $43,184.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
75
Vandalia's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Vandalia, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Vandalia has an overall cost of living index of 75, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Vandalia has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Vandalia ranks as #3 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Vandalia ranks as the #333 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Vandalia, check out:

3 out of 336
In Illinois
11 out of 6,489
In America

Vandalia Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Vandalia is 80.

  • The Groceries index in Vandalia is 96.

  • The Health index in Vandalia is 83.

  • The Housing index in Vandalia is 52.

  • The Transportation index in Vandalia is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Vandalia is 91.

Living Expense Vandalia Illinois National Average
Overall 75 97 100
Services 80 95 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 83 93 100
Housing 52 95 100
Transportation 95 102 100
Utilities 91 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Vandalia Cost of Living Vs. IL

Vandalia, 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 Vandalia is $124,712.

  • The Median Rent in Vandalia is $738.

  • The Median Income in Vandalia is $43,184.

  • The Home Value To Income in Vandalia is 2.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Vandalia is 0.21x.

Statistic Vandalia Illinois United States
Median Home Value $124,712 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $738 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $43,184 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.9x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.21x
$124,712
Median Home Value
$738
Median Rent
$43,184
Median Income

Vandalia, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Vandalia Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Vandalia Illinois
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $14.03 $12.13
Bowling $15.58 $18
Haircut $35.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $44.28 $45.56

Detailed Vandalia Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Vandalia Illinois
Ground Beef $5.86 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.69 $4.67
Potatoes $5.11 $4.93
Pizza $13.74 $12.09
Beer $10.08 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.85 $3.7

Detailed Vandalia Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Vandalia Illinois
Optometrist $117.14 $125.68
Doctor $149.89 $135.78
Dentist $110.0 $113.29

Detailed Vandalia Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Vandalia Illinois
Gasoline $4.03 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.1 $59.92

Detailed Vandalia Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Vandalia Illinois
All Electricity $126.6 $193.99
Phone $198.23 $192.25

Vandalia SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
7
Education
4
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Vandalia

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

  • Edwardsville, IL has a cost of living index of 100, 1.3x Vandalia.

  • Glen Carbon, IL has a cost of living index of 102, 1.4x Vandalia.

  • Effingham, IL has a cost of living index of 85, 1.1x Vandalia.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Vandalia
Edwardsville, IL 26,543 100 1.3x
Glen Carbon, IL 13,521 102 1.4x
Effingham, IL 12,258 85 1.1x
Troy, IL 10,889 94 1.3x
Highland, IL 10,268 92 1.2x
Mascoutah, IL 8,743 93 1.2x
Maryville, IL 8,280 99 1.3x
Greenville, IL 7,159 83 1.1x
Carlinville, IL 5,574 86 1.1x

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