University Park, IL Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for University Park. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for University Park compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in University Park, Illinois

Cost of living in University Park 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 University Park 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:

94 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#102 Cheapest in Illinois (of 336)
#1,669 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$184,105 Median home value
$1,649 Median rent
$73,844 Median income
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What is the cost of living in University Park, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, University Park has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, University Park has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Illinois's index of 98.

The standard of living in University Park ranks as #102 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies University Park ranks as the #234 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in University Park, check out:

University Park Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in University Park is 98.

  • The Groceries index in University Park is 99.

  • The Health index in University Park is 79.

  • The Housing index in University Park is 104.

  • The Transportation index in University Park is 101.

  • The Utilities index in University Park is 100.

Living Expense University Park Illinois National Average
Overall 94 98 100
Services 98 99 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 79 96 100
Housing 104 101 100
Transportation 101 99 100
Utilities 100 101 100

University Park Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages

Services
University Park 98
Illinois avg 99
Groceries
University Park 99
Illinois avg 99
Health
University Park 79
Illinois avg 96
Housing
University Park 104
Illinois avg 101
Transportation
University Park 101
Illinois avg 99
Utilities
University Park 100
Illinois avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

University Park, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

$184,105Median Home Value
$1,649Median Rent
$73,844Median Income

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 University Park is $184,105.

  • The Median Rent in University Park is $1,649.

  • The Median Income in University Park is $73,844.

  • The Home Value To Income in University Park is 2.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in University Park is 0.27x.

Statistic University Park Illinois United States
Median Home Value $184,105 $285,735 $332,700
Median Rent $1,649 $1,274 $1,413
Median Income $73,844 $83,390 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.5x 3.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.18x 0.21x

University Park, IL Costs By Category

Detailed University Park Services costs vs. Illinois
Item University Park 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 University Park Groceries costs vs. Illinois
Item University Park 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 University Park Health costs vs. Illinois
Item University Park Illinois
Optometrist $86.67 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $82.0 $113.29
Detailed University Park Transportation costs vs. Illinois
Item University Park Illinois
Gasoline $3.52 $3.46
Tire Balancing $45.0 $59.92
Detailed University Park Utilities costs vs. Illinois
Item University Park Illinois
All Electricity $156.87 $193.99
Phone $198.03 $192.25

University Park SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 7/10
Housing 7/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 8/10
Safety 8/10
Amenities 7/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 4/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around University Park

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

  • Orland Park, IL has a cost of living index of 114, 1.2x University Park.

  • Tinley Park, IL has a cost of living index of 111, 1.2x University Park.

  • Oak Forest, IL has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x University Park.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. University Park
Orland Park, IL 57,916 114 1.2x
Tinley Park, IL 54,842 111 1.2x
Oak Forest, IL 26,805 106 1.1x
Chicago Heights, IL 26,736 92 1.0x
Homer Glen, IL 24,529 121 1.3x
Park Forest, IL 21,156 92 1.0x
Mokena, IL 20,021 117 1.2x
Matteson, IL 18,645 102 1.1x
Palos Hills, IL 18,081 105 1.1x
Richton Park, IL 12,521 98 1.0x