Bay City, Michigan
Living in Bay City, Michigan is about 8% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 92 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,018 a month, 47% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.08 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 39% of the area's $66,091 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.08
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,018
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.19
Combo meal
Electricity
22.99¢
per kWh · ~$207/mo
Car Insurance
$224/mo
$2,691/yr
Median Household Income
$66,091
38.9% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,691 in Bay City. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,018/mo in Bay City. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.09 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.49 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.32 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.69 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.49 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.29 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$6.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$4.99 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.09 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.49 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.32 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.69 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.49 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.29 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.99 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.79 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ Kroger - Essexville (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.19
Casual Dining
$24.48
Monthly Spend
$435.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Bay City?
Average 1BR: $835/mo · 2BR: $1,201/mo
Bay City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Bay City, MI expensive to live in?
Bay City has a cost of living index of 92, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 8% cheaper than average. It is the 6th most expensive of the 18 Michigan cities we track.
What is the average rent in Bay City, MI?
Typical rent in Bay City is $1,018 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 47% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $835 and two bedrooms about $1,201. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Bay City?
Rent in Bay City rose 2.5% over the past year, about in line with the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Bay City?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.08 a gallon in Bay City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Michigan. That is 2% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Bay City?
Homes in Michigan pay an average of 23.0 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Bay City is about $207.
How much is car insurance in Bay City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,691 a year in Michigan, or about $224 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Bay City?
Median household income in the Bay City area is $66,091 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $25,682 a year, or 39% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Bay City compare with the rest of Michigan?
Rent in Bay City is 24% below the $1,346 average across the 18 Michigan cities we track, and its cost of living index of 92 compares with a state average of 92.
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