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 118, 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 98.
The standard of living in St. Charles ranks as #272 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies St. Charles ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in St. Charles, check out:
St. Charles Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in St. Charles. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in St. Charles is 103.
The Groceries index in St. Charles is 103.
The Health index in St. Charles is 163.
The Housing index in St. Charles is 100.
The Transportation index in St. Charles is 98.
The Utilities index in St. Charles is 99.
| Living Expense | St. Charles | Illinois | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 118 | 98 | 100 |
| Services | 103 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 103 | 99 | 100 |
| Health | 163 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 100 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 101 | 100 |
St. Charles Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in St. Charles Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in St. Charles is $463,142.
The Median Rent in St. Charles is $1,819.
The Median Income in St. Charles is $114,300.
The Home Value To Income in St. Charles is 4.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Charles is 0.19x.
| Statistic | St. Charles | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $463,142 | $285,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,819 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $114,300 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.1x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
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
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 105, 0.9x St. Charles.
Palatine, IL has a cost of living index of 113, 1.0x St. Charles.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. St. Charles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville, IL | 150,692 | 133 | 1.1x |
| Elgin, IL | 114,934 | 105 | 0.9x |
| Palatine, IL | 66,293 | 113 | 1.0x |
| Wheaton, IL | 53,557 | 127 | 1.1x |
| Hoffman Estates, IL | 51,175 | 118 | 1.0x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,671 | 134 | 1.1x |
| Bartlett, IL | 40,501 | 119 | 1.0x |
| Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,390 | 137 | 1.2x |
| Batavia, IL | 27,151 | 118 | 1.0x |
| West Chicago, IL | 25,395 | 108 | 0.9x |
