Cottage Grove, MN vs Crystal Lake, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Crystal Lake, IL has a modeled overall cost index 4.0% lower than Cottage Grove, MN.

Cottage Grove, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $2,100 / month
Crystal Lake, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,905 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Cottage Grove, MN and Crystal Lake, IL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Cottage Grove, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $13.46/month in Crystal Lake, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,162 in Crystal Lake, IL

Regional cost estimates: Cottage Grove, MN uses Saint Paul, MN. Crystal Lake, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 4.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$13.46

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$162

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Cottage Grove, MN

Population:42K

Cost Index:

100.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$384K

Crystal Lake, IL

Population:41K

Cost Index:

96.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$408K

Planning the move to Crystal Lake?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Cottage Grove, MN

The North Star State

42K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 42K residents.

Crystal Lake, IL

The Prairie State

41K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 41K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Cottage Grove, MN vs Crystal Lake, IL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Cottage Grove, MN	Crystal Lake, IL	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,313/mo	$1,491/mo	↑ $178more	13.6%
Healthcare	$735/mo	$559/mo	↓ $177less	24.0%
Housing	$2,315/mo	$2,449/mo	↑ $134more	5.8%
Other	$1,641/mo	$1,560/mo	↓ $81.09less	4.9%
Groceries	$1,001/mo	$967/mo	↓ $34.40less	3.4%
All Utilities	$494/mo	$488/mo	↓ $6.72less	1.4%

Transportation

↑ 13.6%

Cottage Grove, MN

$1,313

Crystal Lake, IL

$1,491

Difference

$178

Healthcare

↓ 24.0%

Cottage Grove, MN

$735

Crystal Lake, IL

$559

Difference

$177

less

Housing

↑ 5.8%

Cottage Grove, MN

$2,315

Crystal Lake, IL

$2,449

Difference

$134

Other

↓ 4.9%

Cottage Grove, MN

$1,641

Crystal Lake, IL

$1,560

Difference

$81.09

less

Groceries

↓ 3.4%

Cottage Grove, MN

$1,001

Crystal Lake, IL

$967

Difference

$34.40

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.4%

Cottage Grove, MN

$494

Crystal Lake, IL

$488

Difference

$6.72

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,530

To$1,580

↑ $50.00

1 Bed

From$1,730

To$1,695

↓ $35.00

2 Bed

From$2,100

To$1,905

↓ $195

3 Bed

From$2,780

To$2,450

↓ $330

Cottage Grove, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,730–$1,730/mo

Crystal Lake, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,610–$1,780/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Cottage Grove, MN

$7,513

Monthly in Crystal Lake, IL

$13.46

Difference

Home Values

Cottage Grove

Crystal Lake

$384K

Median Value

$408K

↑ +1.2%

YoY Change

↑ +5%

↑ +18.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +46.8%

$384K

Price Range

$349K - $466K

Homes in Crystal Lake are 6% more expensive than Cottage Grove

Calculate payment - Cottage Grove Calculate payment - Crystal Lake

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $3.0K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$251

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.0%

Rate difference

Cottage Grove, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Crystal Lake, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Cottage Grove, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Crystal Lake, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Cottage Grove

Crystal Lake

36 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

72.4%

Good Air Days

35.8%

95 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Cottage Grove, MN to Crystal Lake, IL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Crystal Lake, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Cottage Grove, MN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Cottage Grove to Crystal Lake moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Crystal Lake, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cottage Grove, MN vs Crystal Lake, IL

How do the cost estimates for Cottage Grove, MN and Crystal Lake, IL compare?

Crystal Lake, IL has a modeled overall cost index 4.0% lower than Cottage Grove, MN. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Cottage Grove, MN, the model estimates $150,162 in Crystal Lake, IL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Cottage Grove, MN and Crystal Lake, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,100/month in Cottage Grove, MN and $1,905/month in Crystal Lake, IL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Minnesota and Illinois on TaxTakeHome.com