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 | Dallas | Elgin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,305/mo | $1,190/mo | 9.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $270,700 | $242,500 | 11.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $63,985 | $85,998 | 25.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 90.5 | 96.3 | 6.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 74.6 | 91.7 | 18.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 87.0 | 96.9 | 10.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 99.1 | 0.7% higher 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 Dallas, you'd need $91,187 in Elgin to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Elgin, IL is about 8.8% cheaper overall than Dallas, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Elgin than in Dallas. If you earn $80,000 in Dallas, you'd need about $72,950 in Elgin to keep the same standard of living.