City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Austin | Waukegan | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,132/mo | 36.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $164,400 | 180.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $66,077 | 31.0% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 95.2 | 103.2 | 7.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 85.9 | 87.6 | 2.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 97.5 | 99.3 | 1.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.8 | 100.0 | 4.2% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Austin, you'd need $91,362 in Waukegan to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Waukegan, IL is about 8.6% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 22% lower in Waukegan than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $73,090 in Waukegan to keep the same standard of living.