| Index | Bloomington | Minnesota | National |
| Cost of living | 112 | 100 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 138 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 101 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 102 | 104 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 102 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 102 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 104 | 99 | 100 |

Knowing the cost of living in Bloomington allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Bloomington stands at 112, marking it 12% higher than the national average.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Bloomington cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 38.5% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Wondering if Bloomington is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Bloomington, for example, the median home price is 44.2% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 25.1% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Bloomington boasting a median household income of $115,075, which is 41.5% higher than the national average.
Transportation: In cities with limited or no public transportation, residents may find it necessary to own and maintain vehicles, thereby elevating the cost of living. Monthly expenditures include fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potential lease or financing commitments. In Bloomington, the transportation index stands at 0.5% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Bloomington, the housing index is 38.5% higher than the national average.
The Bloomington cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $144,728 | $12,061 | $3,377 | $4,342 |
| Renters | $77,462 | $6,455 | $1,807 | $2,324 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | 7.875% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Minnesota | 5.35% | 9.85% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| South End, MN | 66 | 78 | 22.1% |
| St. Anthony city (Stearns County), MN | 108 | 84 | 16.4% |
| Coates, MN | 145 | 101 | 1.5% |
| South St. Paul, MN | 20,723 | 102 | 2.0% |
| Robbinsdale, MN | 14,767 | 103 | 3.3% |
| Bloomington, MN | 87,234 | 112 | 12.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Troy, MI | 87,197 | 116 | 16.3% |
| Hemet, CA | 87,279 | 118 | 17.7% |
| Clifton, NJ | 87,331 | 133 | 33.4% |
| Redwood City, CA | 87,093 | 269 | 168.7% |
| Johns Creek, GA | 87,090 | 133 | 32.6% |
| Bloomington, MN | 87,234 | 112 | 12.0% |