Crystal Lake, IL vs Sun Prairie, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Sun Prairie, WI has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% higher than Crystal Lake, IL.

Crystal Lake, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,905 / month
Sun Prairie, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,710 / 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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Crystal Lake, IL and Sun Prairie, WI 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 Crystal Lake, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $20.67/month in Sun Prairie, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,248 in Sun Prairie, WI

Regional cost estimates: Crystal Lake, IL uses Chicago, IL. Sun Prairie, WI uses Madison, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 4.2%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$20.67

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$248

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.

Crystal Lake, IL

Population:41K

Cost Index:

96.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$408K

Sun Prairie, WI

Population:38K

Cost Index:

100.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$436K

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Crystal Lake, IL

The Prairie State

41K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Sun Prairie, WI

The Badger State

38K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 38K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Crystal Lake, IL vs Sun Prairie, WI

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	Crystal Lake, IL	Sun Prairie, WI	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,488/mo	$1,337/mo	↓ $151less	10.1%
Other	$1,557/mo	$1,703/mo	↑ $146more	9.4%
Healthcare	$558/mo	$698/mo	↑ $140more	25.2%
Housing	$2,445/mo	$2,357/mo	↓ $88.07less	3.6%
Groceries	$965/mo	$932/mo	↓ $33.30less	3.4%
All Utilities	$487/mo	$494/mo	↑ $6.86more	1.4%

Transportation

↓ 10.1%

Crystal Lake, IL

$1,488

Sun Prairie, WI

$1,337

Difference

$151

less

Other

↑ 9.4%

Crystal Lake, IL

$1,557

Sun Prairie, WI

$1,703

Difference

$146

Healthcare

↑ 25.2%

Crystal Lake, IL

$558

Sun Prairie, WI

$698

Difference

$140

Housing

↓ 3.6%

Crystal Lake, IL

$2,445

Sun Prairie, WI

$2,357

Difference

$88.07

less

Groceries

↓ 3.4%

Crystal Lake, IL

$965

Sun Prairie, WI

$932

Difference

$33.30

less

All Utilities

↑ 1.4%

Crystal Lake, IL

$487

Sun Prairie, WI

$494

Difference

$6.86

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,580

To$1,280

↓ $300

1 Bed

From$1,695

To$1,500

↓ $195

2 Bed

From$1,905

To$1,710

↓ $195

3 Bed

From$2,450

To$2,260

↓ $190

Crystal Lake, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,610–$1,780/mo

Sun Prairie, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,500–$1,500/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 Crystal Lake, IL

$7,521

Monthly in Sun Prairie, WI

$20.67

Difference

Home Values

Crystal Lake

Sun Prairie

$408K

Median Value

$436K

↑ +5%

YoY Change

↑ +2.6%

↑ +46.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +37%

$349K - $466K

Price Range

$436K

Homes in Sun Prairie are 7% more expensive than Crystal Lake

Calculate payment - Crystal Lake Calculate payment - Sun Prairie

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.4K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$119

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.9%

Rate difference

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

Sun Prairie, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Crystal Lake, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Sun Prairie, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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

Crystal Lake

Sun Prairie

54 Moderate

Air Quality

42 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

72.1%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Crystal Lake, IL to Sun Prairie, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Sun Prairie, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Crystal Lake, IL. 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 Crystal Lake to Sun Prairie moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Sun Prairie, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Crystal Lake, IL vs Sun Prairie, WI

How do the cost estimates for Crystal Lake, IL and Sun Prairie, WI compare?

Sun Prairie, WI has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% higher than Crystal Lake, IL. 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 Crystal Lake, IL, the model estimates $150,248 in Sun Prairie, WI. 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 Crystal Lake, IL and Sun Prairie, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,905/month in Crystal Lake, IL and $1,710/month in Sun Prairie, WI. 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 Illinois and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com