Illinois Cost of Living Calculator 2026
Compare cost of living in Illinois to other US states and cities. See equivalent salary needed when relocating.
By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated October 19, 2026 · Methodology
Equivalent Salary Needed
$96,396.40
Difference
-$3,603.60
Cost Difference
-3.60%
Cost of Living Comparison
| Austin, TX Index | 111 |
| Chicago, IL Index | 107 |
| National Average | 100 |
| Your Current Salary | $100,000.00 |
| Equivalent in Chicago, IL | $96,396.40 |
| You would need less | $3,603.60 |
Breakdown by Category (Annual)
| Housing | -8.33% |
| Current (Austin, TX) | $40,000.00 |
| Target (Chicago, IL) | $36,666.67 |
| Food & Groceries | +2.00% |
| Current (Austin, TX) | $15,000.00 |
| Target (Chicago, IL) | $15,300.00 |
| Transportation | +10.00% |
| Current (Austin, TX) | $15,000.00 |
| Target (Chicago, IL) | $16,500.00 |
| Healthcare | +0.00% |
| Current (Austin, TX) | $10,000.00 |
| Target (Chicago, IL) | $10,000.00 |
Cost of living indices are approximate and based on aggregate data. Individual expenses may vary significantly. Housing costs tend to have the largest impact when moving between cities.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.
Illinois Cost of Living Overview
Understanding the cost of living in Illinois means looking at taxes, housing, and everyday expenses together. Illinois levies a flat income tax, which directly impacts take-home pay. The average property tax rate is 1.79%, and the state sales tax rate is 6.25%.
Cost of living in Illinois comes down to a tax mix that is easygoing in two places and demanding in a third. Income tax is the predictable part: a flat 4.95% with no added tiers and no tax on Social Security, pensions, or qualified retirement distributions. Sales tax opens at 6.25% statewide, though local add-ons lift the register total in many cities. The strain shows up in property tax, where the roughly 1.79% average effective rate, about double the national figure, can add thousands of dollars a year to homeownership and feeds quietly into rents as landlords pass the expense along.
Housing is what separates one region from another. A salary that feels generous downstate or in a smaller metro often goes much further than the same figure in the Chicago area, where home prices and local levies climb together. When weighing two offers, look past the headline number: the flat 4.95% income tax follows you anywhere in the state, but property tax rates, local sales taxes, and rent shift from county to county. A larger nominal salary in a high-tax suburb can leave you with less spendable income than a smaller one in a lower-cost county.
Illinois Cost Snapshot (2026)
| Avg. Property Tax Rate | 1.79% |
| State Sales Tax Rate | 6.25% |
| Minimum Wage | $15.00/hr |
| State Income Tax | 4.95% flat rate |
| State Disability Insurance (SDI) | No |
| Estate / Inheritance Tax | Yes |
| Local/City Taxes | Local sales taxes (home rule, county, and special-district) add up to ~4.75% on top of the 6.25% state rate, for combined rates up to ~11%. |
City indexes (U.S. average = 100) are planning estimates on one scale. The 29 cities added in August 2026 were reconciled from BestPlaces city pages, the Payscale and RentCafe cost-of-living calculators (both built on the C2ER Cost of Living Index) and the MERIC state index for Q1 2026; the original 30 large metros date from April 2026 and have not been re-checked since. Local rents and home prices can differ a lot within a metro, and the equivalent salary does not account for income taxes.
Official Sources: