St. Charles, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In St. Charles, IL Summary

Cost of living in St. Charles 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 St. Charles 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 St. Charles is 120, with 100 being the average.

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

  • St. Charles ranks as the #277 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • St. Charles ranks as the #4,411 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. Charles is $450,188.

  • The median income in St. Charles is $115,350.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
120
St. Charles's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in St. Charles, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Charles has an overall cost of living index of 120, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in St. Charles ranks as #277 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies St. Charles ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in St. Charles, check out:

277 out of 336
In Illinois
4,411 out of 6,489
In America

St. Charles Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in St. Charles is 105.

  • The Groceries index in St. Charles is 97.

  • The Health index in St. Charles is 100.

  • The Housing index in St. Charles is 160.

  • The Transportation index in St. Charles is 116.

  • The Utilities index in St. Charles is 80.

Living Expense St. Charles Illinois National Average
Overall 120 97 100
Services 105 95 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 100 93 100
Housing 160 95 100
Transportation 116 102 100
Utilities 80 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
St. Charles Cost of Living Vs. IL

St. Charles, 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 St. Charles is $450,188.

  • The Median Rent in St. Charles is $1,788.

  • The Median Income in St. Charles is $115,350.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. Charles is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Charles is 0.19x.

Statistic St. Charles Illinois United States
Median Home Value $450,188 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,788 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $115,350 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.18x 0.21x
$450,188
Median Home Value
$1,788
Median Rent
$115,350
Median Income

St. Charles, IL Costs By Category

Detailed St. Charles Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item St. Charles 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 St. Charles Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item St. Charles 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 St. Charles Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item St. Charles Illinois
Optometrist $86.67 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $82.0 $113.29

Detailed St. Charles Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item St. Charles Illinois
Gasoline $3.52 $3.46
Tire Balancing $45.0 $59.92

Detailed St. Charles Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item St. Charles Illinois
All Electricity $156.87 $193.99
Phone $198.03 $192.25

St. Charles SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. Charles

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

  • Elgin, IL has a cost of living index of 107, 0.9x St. Charles.

  • Palatine, IL has a cost of living index of 116, 1.0x St. Charles.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. Charles
Naperville, IL 149,424 133 1.1x
Elgin, IL 114,106 107 0.9x
Palatine, IL 66,548 116 1.0x
Wheaton, IL 53,453 128 1.1x
Hoffman Estates, IL 51,186 118 1.0x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 1.2x
Bartlett, IL 40,531 122 1.0x
Glen Ellyn, IL 28,270 135 1.1x
Batavia, IL 26,730 118 1.0x
West Chicago, IL 25,434 112 0.9x

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