Bowling Green, OH Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Bowling Green, OH Summary

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

On a city-by-city basis in Ohio, 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 Bowling Green is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bowling Green is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Bowling Green ranks as the #175 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.

  • Bowling Green ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bowling Green is $258,719.

  • The median income in Bowling Green is $46,719.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Bowling Green's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bowling Green, OH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bowling Green has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Ohio, Bowling Green has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Ohio's index of 93.

The standard of living in Bowling Green ranks as #175 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Bowling Green ranks as the #114 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.

For more reading on life in Bowling Green, check out:

175 out of 289
In Ohio
1,954 out of 6,489
In America

Bowling Green Cost Of Living Vs. Ohio

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

  • The Services index in Bowling Green is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Bowling Green is 100.

  • The Health index in Bowling Green is 88.

  • The Housing index in Bowling Green is 87.

  • The Transportation index in Bowling Green is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Bowling Green is 94.

Living Expense Bowling Green Ohio National Average
Overall 95 93 100
Services 107 101 100
Groceries 100 103 100
Health 88 97 100
Housing 87 74 100
Transportation 100 102 100
Utilities 94 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Ohio, check out:
Bowling Green Cost of Living Vs. OH

Bowling Green, OH Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Ohio, 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 Bowling Green is $258,719.

  • The Median Rent in Bowling Green is $874.

  • The Median Income in Bowling Green is $46,719.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bowling Green is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bowling Green is 0.22x.

Statistic Bowling Green Ohio United States
Median Home Value $258,719 $240,287 $303,400
Median Rent $874 $988 $1,348
Median Income $46,719 $69,680 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.5x 3.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.17x 0.21x
$258,719
Median Home Value
$874
Median Rent
$46,719
Median Income

Bowling Green, OH Costs By Category

Detailed Bowling Green Services Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Bowling Green Ohio
Shampoo $1.21 $1.28
Movie $11.62 $12.13
Bowling $11.78 $18
Haircut $23.45 $24.26
Beauty Salon $39.83 $45.56

Detailed Bowling Green Groceries Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Bowling Green Ohio
Ground Beef $6.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $4.83 $4.93
Pizza $11.74 $12.09
Beer $10.79 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Bowling Green Health Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Bowling Green Ohio
Optometrist $82.43 $125.68
Doctor $123.67 $135.78
Dentist $92.0 $113.29

Detailed Bowling Green Transportation Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Bowling Green Ohio
Gasoline $3.38 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.21 $59.92

Detailed Bowling Green Utilities Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Bowling Green Ohio
All Electricity $180.12 $193.99
Phone $184.9 $192.25

Bowling Green SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
5
Diversity
8
Safety
8.5
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bowling Green

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

  • Perrysburg, OH has a cost of living index of 107, 1.1x Bowling Green.

  • Maumee, OH has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Bowling Green.

  • Fostoria, OH has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x Bowling Green.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bowling Green
Perrysburg, OH 25,065 107 1.1x
Maumee, OH 13,765 97 1.0x
Fostoria, OH 12,671 86 0.9x
Rossford, OH 6,315 94 1.0x
Waterville, OH 5,997 106 1.1x
Northwood, OH 5,195 95 1.0x

Articles About Ohio

Enjoy The Snack?