Palatine, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Palatine, IL Summary

Cost of living in Palatine 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 Palatine 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 Palatine is 116, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Palatine ranks as the #259 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Palatine ranks as the #4,151 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Palatine is $371,602.

  • The median income in Palatine is $95,950.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
116
Palatine's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Palatine, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Palatine has an overall cost of living index of 116, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Palatine ranks as #259 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Palatine ranks as the #77 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Palatine, check out:

259 out of 336
In Illinois
4,151 out of 6,489
In America

Palatine Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Palatine is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Palatine is 102.

  • The Health index in Palatine is 107.

  • The Housing index in Palatine is 149.

  • The Transportation index in Palatine is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Palatine is 90.

Living Expense Palatine Illinois National Average
Overall 116 97 100
Services 109 95 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 107 93 100
Housing 149 95 100
Transportation 106 102 100
Utilities 90 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Palatine Cost of Living Vs. IL

Palatine, 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 Palatine is $371,602.

  • The Median Rent in Palatine is $1,467.

  • The Median Income in Palatine is $95,950.

  • The Home Value To Income in Palatine is 3.9x.

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

Statistic Palatine Illinois United States
Median Home Value $371,602 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,467 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $95,950 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.21x
$371,602
Median Home Value
$1,467
Median Rent
$95,950
Median Income

Palatine, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Palatine Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Palatine 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 Palatine Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Palatine 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 Palatine Health Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Palatine Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Palatine Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Palatine SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Palatine

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Palatine. 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 Palatine.

  • Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.3x Palatine.

  • Elmhurst, IL has a cost of living index of 139, 1.2x Palatine.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Palatine
Arlington Heights, IL 76,220 124 1.1x
Glenview, IL 47,682 149 1.3x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 1.2x
Buffalo Grove, IL 42,824 125 1.1x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 1.2x
Northbrook, IL 34,642 153 1.3x
Highland Park, IL 30,229 148 1.3x
Wilmette, IL 27,550 164 1.4x
Rolling Meadows, IL 23,981 115 1.0x
Lake Zurich, IL 19,727 127 1.1x

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