Evanston, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Evanston, IL Summary

Cost of living in Evanston 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 Evanston 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 Evanston is 134, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Evanston is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Evanston ranks as the #307 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Evanston ranks as the #5,171 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Evanston is $459,534.

  • The median income in Evanston is $95,766.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
134
Evanston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Evanston, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Evanston has an overall cost of living index of 134, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Evanston has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Evanston ranks as #307 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Evanston ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Evanston, check out:

307 out of 336
In Illinois
5,171 out of 6,489
In America

Evanston Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Evanston is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Evanston is 102.

  • The Health index in Evanston is 109.

  • The Housing index in Evanston is 199.

  • The Transportation index in Evanston is 108.

  • The Utilities index in Evanston is 88.

Living Expense Evanston Illinois National Average
Overall 134 97 100
Services 108 95 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 109 93 100
Housing 199 95 100
Transportation 108 102 100
Utilities 88 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Evanston Cost of Living Vs. IL

Evanston, 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 Evanston is $459,534.

  • The Median Rent in Evanston is $1,698.

  • The Median Income in Evanston is $95,766.

  • The Home Value To Income in Evanston is 4.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Evanston is 0.21x.

Statistic Evanston Illinois United States
Median Home Value $459,534 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,698 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $95,766 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.8x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.21x
$459,534
Median Home Value
$1,698
Median Rent
$95,766
Median Income

Evanston, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Evanston Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston 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 Evanston Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston 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 Evanston Health Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Evanston Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.87 $59.92

Detailed Evanston Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
All Electricity $148.58 $193.99
Phone $210.03 $192.25

Evanston SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
10
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Evanston

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Evanston. 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, 0.9x Evanston.

  • Skokie, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 0.9x Evanston.

  • Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.1x Evanston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Evanston
Arlington Heights, IL 76,220 124 0.9x
Skokie, IL 66,427 124 0.9x
Glenview, IL 47,682 149 1.1x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 1.0x
Buffalo Grove, IL 42,824 125 0.9x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 1.0x
Northbrook, IL 34,642 153 1.1x
Niles, IL 30,262 117 0.9x
Highland Park, IL 30,229 148 1.1x
Wilmette, IL 27,550 164 1.2x

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