Bolivar, MO Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Bolivar, MO Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Missouri, 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 Bolivar is 82, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Bolivar ranks as the #14 cheapest in Missouri out of 142.

  • Bolivar ranks as the #221 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bolivar is $252,719.

  • The median income in Bolivar is $44,603.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
82
Bolivar's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bolivar, MO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bolivar has an overall cost of living index of 82, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Missouri, Bolivar has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Missouri's index of 88.

The standard of living in Bolivar ranks as #14 most affordable out of the 142 places we measured in Missouri. By definition, that implies Bolivar ranks as the #128 most expensive place in the Show Me State.

For more reading on life in Bolivar, check out:

14 out of 142
In Missouri
221 out of 6,489
In America

Bolivar Cost Of Living Vs. Missouri

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

  • The Services index in Bolivar is 91.

  • The Groceries index in Bolivar is 95.

  • The Health index in Bolivar is 94.

  • The Housing index in Bolivar is 73.

  • The Transportation index in Bolivar is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Bolivar is 78.

Living Expense Bolivar Missouri National Average
Overall 82 88 100
Services 91 93 100
Groceries 95 96 100
Health 94 91 100
Housing 73 78 100
Transportation 92 90 100
Utilities 78 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around Missouri, check out:
Bolivar Cost of Living Vs. MO

Bolivar, MO Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Missouri, 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 Bolivar is $252,719.

  • The Median Rent in Bolivar is $833.

  • The Median Income in Bolivar is $44,603.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bolivar is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bolivar is 0.22x.

Statistic Bolivar Missouri United States
Median Home Value $252,719 $257,929 $303,400
Median Rent $833 $996 $1,348
Median Income $44,603 $68,920 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.7x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.17x 0.21x
$252,719
Median Home Value
$833
Median Rent
$44,603
Median Income

Bolivar, MO Costs By Category

Detailed Bolivar Services Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Bolivar Missouri
Shampoo $1.43 $1.28
Movie $11.45 $12.13
Bowling $20.06 $18
Haircut $20.9 $24.26
Beauty Salon $43.4 $45.56

Detailed Bolivar Groceries Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Bolivar Missouri
Ground Beef $5.93 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.37 $1.57
Milk $4.65 $4.67
Potatoes $4.78 $4.93
Pizza $10.93 $12.09
Beer $9.53 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.69 $3.7

Detailed Bolivar Health Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Bolivar Missouri
Optometrist $87.72 $125.68
Doctor $89.65 $135.78
Dentist $114.22 $113.29

Detailed Bolivar Transportation Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Bolivar Missouri
Gasoline $3.49 $3.46
Tire Balancing $45.32 $59.92

Detailed Bolivar Utilities Costs Vs. Missouri

Item Bolivar Missouri
All Electricity $193.72 $193.99
Phone $200.43 $192.25

Bolivar SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
6
Affordability
5
Diversity
5
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bolivar

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

  • Springfield, MO has a cost of living index of 82, 1.0x Bolivar.

  • Nixa, MO has a cost of living index of 89, 1.1x Bolivar.

  • Ozark, MO has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Bolivar.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bolivar
Springfield, MO 169,432 82 1.0x
Nixa, MO 24,131 89 1.1x
Ozark, MO 21,953 88 1.1x
Republic, MO 19,233 86 1.0x
Lebanon, MO 15,157 80 1.0x
Marshfield, MO 7,599 84 1.0x
Aurora, MO 7,331 78 1.0x
Willard, MO 6,418 88 1.1x
Battlefield, MO 6,095 89 1.1x

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