Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloomington, IN and Lorain, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Lorain, OH: $1,835 a month against $2,362 in Bloomington, IN, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Bloomington, IN
Learn more

Bloomington, IN Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Lorain, OH
Learn more

Lorain, OH Living Index

Jump to prices

Bloomington, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,362

/mo nomad

Lorain, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bloomington, IN and in Lorain, OH

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bloomington, IN and in Lorain, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,362 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $1,835 in Lorain, OH, rent included.

Bloomington, IN $2,362
Lorain, OH $1,835

A couple spends around $3,158 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $2,880 in Lorain, OH, rent included.

Bloomington, IN $3,158
Lorain, OH $2,880

A family of three spends $3,954 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $3,925 in Lorain, OH, rent included.

Bloomington, IN $3,954
Lorain, OH $3,925

Bloomington, IN costs about 29% more than Lorain, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bloomington, IN and Lorain, OH sit above the global median – Bloomington, IN by 74%, Lorain, OH by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 $14.90

$18.14 $18.14

-17.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 $50.9

$63.4 $63.4

-19.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$10.30 $10.30

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$4.82 $4.82

$3.80 $3.80

26.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.45 $2.45

-13.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.60 $1.60

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.86 $4.86

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$5.14 $5.14

13.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.69 $0.69

15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.68 $2.68

20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$5.59 $5.59

-28.26%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.39 $2.39

61.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$7.14 $7.14

78.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$9.97 $9.97

-39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 $15.86

$10.47 $10.47

51.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.93 $4.93

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.56 $1.56

-19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.45 $4.45

-26.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.87 $4.87

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.56 $2.56

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.99 $2.99

11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.04 $2.04

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.40 $2.40

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 $9.95

$10.40 $10.40

-4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$15.77 $15.77

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.52 $2.52

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.97 $2.97

2.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 $30.20

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.96 $2.96

30.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.59 $1.59

-31.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.20 $18.20

$24.32 $24.32

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.09 $1.09

-17.43%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.3K $27.3K

$33.6K $33.6K

-18.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$150 $150

$214 $214

-29.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$60.1 $60.1

29.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 $65.3

$69.1 $69.1

-5.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.48 $39.48

$24.71 $24.71

59.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 $20.66

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 $12.05

$11.84 $11.84

1.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,466 $1,466

$1,356 $1,356

8.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K $19.3K

$32.0K $32.0K

-39.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 $44.51

$39.36 $39.36

13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.35 $42.35

$42.23 $42.23

0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 $66.8

$76.0 $76.0

-12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 $90.6

$101 $101

-9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$762 $762

90.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 $1,262

$699 $699

80.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 $2,075

$1,403 $1,403

47.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$1,505 $1,505

4.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 $2,244

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,973 $1,973

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 $3,592

$3,053 $3,053

17.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.49

0.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bloomington, IN: October 18, 2026

Last update for Lorain, OH: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bloomington, IN

$1.3K 53.4%

Lorain, OH

$699 38.1% 44.6% $563

Groceries & Markets

Bloomington, IN

$335 14.2%

Lorain, OH

$345 18.8% 3.1% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bloomington, IN

$293 12.4%

Lorain, OH

$343 18.7% 17.2% $50

Eating Out

Bloomington, IN

$259 11%

Lorain, OH

$272 14.8% 5.1% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Bloomington, IN

$110 4.7%

Lorain, OH

$116 6.3% 5.6% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Bloomington, IN

$64 2.7%

Lorain, OH

$48 2.6% 23.9% $15

Getting Around

Bloomington, IN

$39 * 1.7%

Lorain, OH

$11 * 0.6% 72.3% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,453 in Bloomington, IN versus $762 in Lorain, OH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Bloomington, IN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Bloomington, IN versus $63.0 in Lorain, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $345 – making Bloomington, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bloomington, IN

🇺🇸 Lorain, OH

🕒 Local time

05:07 5:07 AM

Same time as Bloomington, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

69,247

65,430

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bloomington, IN Lorain, OH 450 km

From you

Bloomington, IN
Lorain, OH

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bloomington, IN vs Lorain, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bloomington, IN is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,543 per month in Bloomington, IN and $2,753 in Lorain, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lorain, OH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Bloomington, IN and $63.0 in Lorain, OH. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Bloomington, IN – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Lorain, OH, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Bloomington, IN at $2,362. In Lorain, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bloomington, IN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lorain, OH – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lorain, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bloomington, IN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.