Bowie, MD Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Bowie, MD Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, 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 Bowie is 134, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bowie is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Bowie ranks as the #130 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.

  • Bowie ranks as the #5,171 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bowie is $520,795.

  • The median income in Bowie is $141,831.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
134
Bowie's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bowie, MD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bowie has an overall cost of living index of 134, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maryland, Bowie has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Maryland's index of 121.

The standard of living in Bowie ranks as #130 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Bowie ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Old Line State.

For more reading on life in Bowie, check out:

130 out of 194
In Maryland
5,171 out of 6,489
In America

Bowie Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland

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

  • The Services index in Bowie is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Bowie is 106.

  • The Health index in Bowie is 108.

  • The Housing index in Bowie is 192.

  • The Transportation index in Bowie is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Bowie is 109.

Living Expense Bowie Maryland National Average
Overall 134 121 100
Services 115 105 100
Groceries 106 107 100
Health 108 96 100
Housing 192 150 100
Transportation 106 99 100
Utilities 109 113 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maryland, check out:
Bowie Cost of Living Vs. MD

Bowie, MD Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, 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 Bowie is $520,795.

  • The Median Rent in Bowie is $2,240.

  • The Median Income in Bowie is $141,831.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bowie is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bowie is 0.19x.

Statistic Bowie Maryland United States
Median Home Value $520,795 $427,628 $303,400
Median Rent $2,240 $1,662 $1,348
Median Income $141,831 $101,652 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 4.2x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.2x 0.21x
$520,795
Median Home Value
$2,240
Median Rent
$141,831
Median Income

Bowie, MD Costs By Category

Detailed Bowie Services Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bowie Maryland
Shampoo $1.63 $1.28
Movie $15.72 $12.13
Bowling $24.56 $18
Haircut $41.31 $24.26
Beauty Salon $73.33 $45.56

Detailed Bowie Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bowie Maryland
Ground Beef $5.72 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.31 $1.57
Milk $4.83 $4.67
Potatoes $5.15 $4.93
Pizza $12.83 $12.09
Beer $11.41 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.7 $3.7

Detailed Bowie Health Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bowie Maryland
Optometrist $112.83 $125.68
Doctor $156.21 $135.78
Dentist $135.09 $113.29

Detailed Bowie Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bowie Maryland
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $75.27 $59.92

Detailed Bowie Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Bowie Maryland
All Electricity $227.7 $193.99
Phone $190.71 $192.25

Bowie SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
7
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bowie

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

  • Crofton, MD has a cost of living index of 143, 1.1x Bowie.

  • Ilchester, MD has a cost of living index of 136, 1.0x Bowie.

  • North Laurel, MD has a cost of living index of 132, 1.0x Bowie.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bowie
Crofton, MD 29,878 143 1.1x
Ilchester, MD 27,552 136 1.0x
North Laurel, MD 25,201 132 1.0x
Lake Arbor, MD 14,932 136 1.0x
Glenn Dale, MD 14,896 142 1.1x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,437 145 1.1x
Colesville, MD 14,075 140 1.0x
Kettering, MD 13,866 137 1.0x
Lanham, MD 11,956 130 1.0x
Mitchellville, MD 11,325 139 1.0x

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