What is the cost of living in Bay St. Louis, MS?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bay St. Louis has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Mississippi, Bay St. Louis has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Mississippi's index of 88.
The standard of living in Bay St. Louis ranks as #59 most affordable out of the 67 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies Bay St. Louis ranks as the #8 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.
For more reading on life in Bay St. Louis, check out:
Bay St. Louis Cost Of Living Vs. Mississippi
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bay St. Louis. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Bay St. Louis is 95.
The Groceries index in Bay St. Louis is 97.
The Health index in Bay St. Louis is 104.
The Housing index in Bay St. Louis is 91.
The Transportation index in Bay St. Louis is 96.
The Utilities index in Bay St. Louis is 93.
| Living Expense | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 99 | 88 | 100 |
| Services | 95 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 97 | 100 |
| Health | 104 | 63 | 100 |
| Housing | 91 | 94 | 100 |
| Transportation | 96 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 93 | 93 | 100 |
Bay St. Louis Cost Of Living Compared To Mississippi Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Mississippi, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Mississippi
- Most Affordable Cities In Mississippi
- Average Rent In Mississippi
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Bay St. Louis, MS Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Mississippi, 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 Bay St. Louis is $236,957.
The Median Rent in Bay St. Louis is $1,179.
The Median Income in Bay St. Louis is $67,442.
The Home Value To Income in Bay St. Louis is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Bay St. Louis is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $236,957 | $192,906 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,179 | $954 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $67,442 | $56,447 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.5x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Bay St. Louis, MS Costs By Category
Detailed Bay St. Louis Services costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.22 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.3 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $21.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $43.17 | $45.56 |
Detailed Bay St. Louis Groceries costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.15 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.31 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.61 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.23 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.57 | $3.7 |
Detailed Bay St. Louis Health costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $128.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $127.78 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.44 | $113.29 |
Detailed Bay St. Louis Transportation costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.14 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Bay St. Louis Utilities costs vs. Mississippi
| Item | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $149.86 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.9 | $192.25 |
Bay St. Louis SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bay St. Louis
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bay St. Louis. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
New Orleans, LA has a cost of living index of 108, 1.1x Bay St. Louis.
Gulfport, MS has a cost of living index of 92, 0.9x Bay St. Louis.
Chalmette, LA has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Bay St. Louis.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Bay St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 371,853 | 108 | 1.1x |
| Gulfport, MS | 73,003 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Chalmette, LA | 22,616 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Ocean Springs, MS | 18,646 | 98 | 1.0x |
| Long Beach, MS | 17,009 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Bogalusa, LA | 10,468 | 87 | 0.9x |
| Diamondhead, MS | 9,338 | 93 | 0.9x |
| Gulf Hills, MS | 8,451 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Meraux, LA | 7,918 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Waveland, MS | 7,062 | 89 | 0.9x |
