Cost of living in Cary 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 Cary 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 Cary is 115, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Cary is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Cary ranks as the #254 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Cary ranks as the #4,090 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Cary is $367,684.
The median income in Cary is $109,790.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cary has an overall cost of living index of 115, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Cary has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Cary ranks as #254 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Cary ranks as the #82 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Cary, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cary. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Cary is 106.
The Groceries index in Cary is 103.
The Health index in Cary is 108.
The Housing index in Cary is 134.
The Transportation index in Cary is 107.
The Utilities index in Cary is 90.
| Living Expense | Cary | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 115 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 106 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 108 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 134 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 107 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 90 | 91 | 100 | |
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 Cary is $367,684.
The Median Rent in Cary is $1,456.
The Median Income in Cary is $109,790.
The Home Value To Income in Cary is 3.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Cary is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cary. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Cary.
Mount Prospect, IL has a cost of living index of 122, 1.1x Cary.
Buffalo Grove, IL has a cost of living index of 125, 1.1x Cary.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Cary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Heights, IL | 76,220 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Mount Prospect, IL | 55,648 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,824 | 125 | 1.1x |
| Bartlett, IL | 40,531 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Crystal Lake, IL | 40,436 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Algonquin, IL | 29,904 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Lake in the Hills, IL | 28,853 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Vernon Hills, IL | 26,772 | 125 | 1.1x |
| Libertyville, IL | 20,493 | 135 | 1.2x |
| Lake Zurich, IL | 19,727 | 127 | 1.1x |