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 | San Jose | Waukegan | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,526/mo | $1,132/mo | 123.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,149,600 | $164,400 | 599.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,010 | $66,077 | 105.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 114.4 | 101.6 | 12.6% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 141.7 | 88.0 | 61.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 125.8 | 90.9 | 38.4% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 132.6 | 90.9 | 45.8% 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 San Jose, you'd need $58,397 in Waukegan to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Waukegan, IL is about 41.6% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 55% lower in Waukegan than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in San Jose, you'd need about $46,718 in Waukegan to keep the same standard of living.