Berea, KY Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Berea. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Berea compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Berea, Kentucky

Cost of living in Berea 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 Berea is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Kentucky, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

92 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#45 Cheapest in Kentucky (of 85)
#1,359 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$247,721 Median home value
$835 Median rent
$59,495 Median income
Not sure Berea fits your budget? Try our place-match quiz →

What is the cost of living in Berea, KY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Berea has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Kentucky, Berea has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Kentucky's index of 89.

The standard of living in Berea ranks as #45 most affordable out of the 85 places we measured in Kentucky. By definition, that implies Berea ranks as the #40 most expensive place in the Bluegrass State.

For more reading on life in Berea, check out:

Berea Cost Of Living Vs. Kentucky

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

  • The Services index in Berea is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Berea is 97.

  • The Health index in Berea is 76.

  • The Housing index in Berea is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Berea is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Berea is 94.

Living Expense Berea Kentucky National Average
Overall 92 89 100
Services 95 100 100
Groceries 97 98 100
Health 76 68 100
Housing 99 98 100
Transportation 95 95 100
Utilities 94 96 100

Berea Cost Of Living Compared To Kentucky Averages

Services
Berea 95
Kentucky avg 100
Groceries
Berea 97
Kentucky avg 98
Health
Berea 76
Kentucky avg 68
Housing
Berea 99
Kentucky avg 98
Transportation
Berea 95
Kentucky avg 95
Utilities
Berea 94
Kentucky avg 96

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Kentucky, check out:

Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Berea Get matched →

Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Berea, KY Housing Cost Breakdown

$247,721Median Home Value
$835Median Rent
$59,495Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Kentucky, 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 Berea is $247,721.

  • The Median Rent in Berea is $835.

  • The Median Income in Berea is $59,495.

  • The Home Value To Income in Berea is 4.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Berea is 0.17x.

Statistic Berea Kentucky United States
Median Home Value $247,721 $231,894 $332,700
Median Rent $835 $967 $1,413
Median Income $59,495 $63,726 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.2x 3.6x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.18x 0.21x

Berea, KY Costs By Category

Detailed Berea Services costs vs. Kentucky
Item Berea Kentucky
Shampoo $1.21 $1.28
Movie $13.05 $12.13
Bowling $21.91 $18
Haircut $26.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.07 $45.56
Detailed Berea Groceries costs vs. Kentucky
Item Berea Kentucky
Ground Beef $6.07 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.72 $4.67
Potatoes $5.19 $4.93
Pizza $10.35 $12.09
Beer $9.84 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.5 $3.7
Detailed Berea Health costs vs. Kentucky
Item Berea Kentucky
Optometrist $87.52 $125.68
Doctor $106.15 $135.78
Dentist $102.55 $113.29
Detailed Berea Transportation costs vs. Kentucky
Item Berea Kentucky
Gasoline $3.11 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.38 $59.92
Detailed Berea Utilities costs vs. Kentucky
Item Berea Kentucky
All Electricity $207.41 $193.99
Phone $192.46 $192.25

Berea SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 7/10
Diversity 6/10
Safety 8/10
Amenities 8/10
Education 6/10
Commute 8.5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Berea

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

  • Georgetown, KY has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Berea.

  • Richmond, KY has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Berea.

  • Nicholasville, KY has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Berea.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Berea
Georgetown, KY 39,117 97 1.1x
Richmond, KY 37,111 91 1.0x
Nicholasville, KY 32,197 91 1.0x
Winchester, KY 19,213 90 1.0x
Danville, KY 17,327 91 1.0x
Lawrenceburg, KY 11,943 92 1.0x
Versailles, KY 10,492 93 1.0x
Paris, KY 10,160 89 1.0x
Harrodsburg, KY 9,313 87 0.9x
Wilmore, KY 6,057 95 1.0x