Darien, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Darien, IL Summary

Cost of living in Darien 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 Darien 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 Darien is 121, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Darien ranks as the #280 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Darien ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Darien is $437,000.

  • The median income in Darien is $109,354.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
121
Darien's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Darien, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Darien has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Darien has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Darien ranks as #280 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Darien ranks as the #56 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Darien, check out:

280 out of 336
In Illinois
4,476 out of 6,489
In America

Darien Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Darien is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Darien is 99.

  • The Health index in Darien is 97.

  • The Housing index in Darien is 172.

  • The Transportation index in Darien is 112.

  • The Utilities index in Darien is 82.

Living Expense Darien Illinois National Average
Overall 121 97 100
Services 107 95 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 97 93 100
Housing 172 95 100
Transportation 112 102 100
Utilities 82 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Darien Cost of Living Vs. IL

Darien, 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 Darien is $437,000.

  • The Median Rent in Darien is $1,671.

  • The Median Income in Darien is $109,354.

  • The Home Value To Income in Darien is 4.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Darien is 0.18x.

Statistic Darien Illinois United States
Median Home Value $437,000 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,671 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $109,354 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.0x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.21x
$437,000
Median Home Value
$1,671
Median Rent
$109,354
Median Income

Darien, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Darien Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Darien Illinois
Shampoo $1.32 $1.28
Movie $9.99 $12.13
Bowling $16.0 $18
Haircut $19.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.22 $45.56

Detailed Darien Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Darien Illinois
Ground Beef $5.94 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $5.08 $4.93
Pizza $10.69 $12.09
Beer $9.61 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Darien Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Darien Illinois
Optometrist $86.67 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $82.0 $113.29

Detailed Darien Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Darien Illinois
Gasoline $3.52 $3.46
Tire Balancing $45.0 $59.92

Detailed Darien Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Darien Illinois
All Electricity $156.87 $193.99
Phone $198.03 $192.25

Darien SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Darien

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

  • Naperville, IL has a cost of living index of 133, 1.1x Darien.

  • Wheaton, IL has a cost of living index of 128, 1.1x Darien.

  • Downers Grove, IL has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Darien.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Darien
Naperville, IL 149,424 133 1.1x
Wheaton, IL 53,453 128 1.1x
Downers Grove, IL 49,867 125 1.0x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 1.1x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 1.1x
Woodridge, IL 33,889 115 1.0x
Glen Ellyn, IL 28,270 135 1.1x
Westmont, IL 24,201 119 1.0x
Lisle, IL 23,413 124 1.0x
Lemont, IL 17,643 126 1.0x

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