Bay City, MI Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Bay City, MI Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Michigan, 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 Bay City is 84, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Bay City ranks as the #32 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.

  • Bay City ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bay City is $122,541.

  • The median income in Bay City is $47,904.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
84
Bay City's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bay City, MI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bay City has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Michigan, Bay City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Michigan's index of 90.

The standard of living in Bay City ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Bay City ranks as the #148 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.

For more reading on life in Bay City, check out:

32 out of 180
In Michigan
406 out of 6,489
In America

Bay City Cost Of Living Vs. Michigan

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

  • The Services index in Bay City is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Bay City is 102.

  • The Health index in Bay City is 103.

  • The Housing index in Bay City is 47.

  • The Transportation index in Bay City is 99.

  • The Utilities index in Bay City is 93.

Living Expense Bay City Michigan National Average
Overall 84 90 100
Services 102 93 100
Groceries 102 97 100
Health 103 91 100
Housing 47 72 100
Transportation 99 96 100
Utilities 93 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Michigan, check out:
Bay City Cost of Living Vs. MI

Bay City, MI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Michigan, 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 Bay City is $122,541.

  • The Median Rent in Bay City is $739.

  • The Median Income in Bay City is $47,904.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bay City is 2.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bay City is 0.19x.

Statistic Bay City Michigan United States
Median Home Value $122,541 $258,642 $303,400
Median Rent $739 $1,084 $1,348
Median Income $47,904 $71,149 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.6x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.18x 0.21x
$122,541
Median Home Value
$739
Median Rent
$47,904
Median Income

Bay City, MI Costs By Category

Detailed Bay City Services Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Bay City Michigan
Shampoo $1.13 $1.28
Movie $12.99 $12.13
Bowling $12.33 $18
Haircut $16.8 $24.26
Beauty Salon $24.78 $45.56

Detailed Bay City Groceries Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Bay City Michigan
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $4.8 $4.93
Pizza $8.99 $12.09
Beer $9.04 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Bay City Health Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Bay City Michigan
Optometrist $85.0 $125.68
Doctor $103.33 $135.78
Dentist $91.0 $113.29

Detailed Bay City Transportation Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Bay City Michigan
Gasoline $3.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.0 $59.92

Detailed Bay City Utilities Costs Vs. Michigan

Item Bay City Michigan
All Electricity $219.2 $193.99
Phone $184.44 $192.25

Bay City SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
3
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
7
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
5
Commute
8.5

Articles About Michigan

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