Arlington Heights, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Arlington Heights, IL Summary

Cost of living in Arlington Heights research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Arlington Heights is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Arlington Heights is 124, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Arlington Heights is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Arlington Heights ranks as the #286 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Arlington Heights ranks as the #4,654 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Arlington Heights is $460,992.

  • The median income in Arlington Heights is $118,532.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
124
Arlington Heights's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Arlington Heights, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Arlington Heights has an overall cost of living index of 124, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Arlington Heights has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Arlington Heights ranks as #286 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Arlington Heights ranks as the #50 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Arlington Heights, check out:

286 out of 336
In Illinois
4,654 out of 6,489
In America

Arlington Heights Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Arlington Heights. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Arlington Heights is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Arlington Heights is 102.

  • The Health index in Arlington Heights is 107.

  • The Housing index in Arlington Heights is 180.

  • The Transportation index in Arlington Heights is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Arlington Heights is 89.

Living Expense Arlington Heights Illinois National Average
Overall 124 97 100
Services 108 95 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 107 93 100
Housing 180 95 100
Transportation 107 102 100
Utilities 89 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Arlington Heights Cost of Living Vs. IL

Arlington Heights, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Arlington Heights is $460,992.

  • The Median Rent in Arlington Heights is $1,727.

  • The Median Income in Arlington Heights is $118,532.

  • The Home Value To Income in Arlington Heights is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Arlington Heights is 0.17x.

Statistic Arlington Heights Illinois United States
Median Home Value $460,992 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,727 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $118,532 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.18x 0.21x
$460,992
Median Home Value
$1,727
Median Rent
$118,532
Median Income

Arlington Heights, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Arlington Heights Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Arlington Heights Illinois
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $17.91 $12.13
Bowling $24.58 $18
Haircut $33.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.44 $45.56

Detailed Arlington Heights Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Arlington Heights Illinois
Ground Beef $5.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.87 $4.67
Potatoes $4.9 $4.93
Pizza $13.41 $12.09
Beer $10.0 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Arlington Heights Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Arlington Heights Illinois
Optometrist $118.27 $125.68
Doctor $167.67 $135.78
Dentist $128.22 $113.29

Detailed Arlington Heights Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Arlington Heights Illinois
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.87 $59.92

Detailed Arlington Heights Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Arlington Heights Illinois
All Electricity $148.58 $193.99
Phone $210.03 $192.25

Arlington Heights SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
9
Amenities
9.5
Education
9.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Arlington Heights

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Arlington Heights. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Schaumburg, IL has a cost of living index of 117, 0.9x Arlington Heights.

  • Palatine, IL has a cost of living index of 116, 0.9x Arlington Heights.

  • Des Plaines, IL has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Arlington Heights.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Arlington Heights
Schaumburg, IL 76,780 117 0.9x
Palatine, IL 66,548 116 0.9x
Des Plaines, IL 59,408 113 0.9x
Mount Prospect, IL 55,648 122 1.0x
Glenview, IL 47,682 149 1.2x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 1.1x
Buffalo Grove, IL 42,824 125 1.0x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 1.1x
Wheeling, IL 38,495 108 0.9x
Northbrook, IL 34,642 153 1.2x

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