Durand, IL vs Brown City, MI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Brown City, MI has a modeled overall cost index 17.1% lower than Durand, IL.

Durand, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,070 / month
Brown City, MI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,060 / 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 Durand, IL and Brown City, MI 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 Durand, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,138/month in Brown City, MI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,346 in Brown City, MI

Regional cost estimates: Durand, IL uses Madison, WI. Brown City, MI uses Detroit, MI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 17.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,138

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.7K

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.

Durand, IL

Population:1K

Cost Index:

92.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$213K

Brown City, MI

Population:1K

Cost Index:

76.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$219K

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Durand, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Brown City, MI

The Great Lakes State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Michigan, this city has a population of 1K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Durand, IL vs Brown City, MI

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	Durand, IL	Brown City, MI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,321/mo	$1,299/mo	↓ $1,021less	44.0%
Healthcare	$719/mo	$561/mo	↓ $158less	22.0%
Transportation	$1,317/mo	$1,454/mo	↑ $137more	10.4%
Other	$1,677/mo	$1,550/mo	↓ $127less	7.6%
All Utilities	$508/mo	$554/mo	↑ $46.12more	9.1%
Groceries	$959/mo	$944/mo	↓ $15.18less	1.6%

Housing

↓ 44.0%

Durand, IL

$2,321

Brown City, MI

$1,299

Difference

$1,021

less

Healthcare

↓ 22.0%

Durand, IL

$719

Brown City, MI

$561

Difference

$158

less

Transportation

↑ 10.4%

Durand, IL

$1,317

Brown City, MI

$1,454

Difference

$137

Other

↓ 7.6%

Durand, IL

$1,677

Brown City, MI

$1,550

Difference

$127

less

All Utilities

↑ 9.1%

Durand, IL

$508

Brown City, MI

$554

Difference

$46.12

Groceries

↓ 1.6%

Durand, IL

$959

Brown City, MI

$944

Difference

$15.18

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$730

To$750

↑ $20.00

1 Bed

From$810

To$830

↑ $20.00

2 Bed

From$1,070

To$1,060

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,410

To$1,300

↓ $110

Durand, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $810–$810/mo

Brown City, MIZIP-level data

1BR range: $830–$830/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 Durand, IL

$6,362

Monthly in Brown City, MI

$1,138

Difference

Home Values

Durand

Brown City

$213K

Median Value

$219K

↑ +8.1%

YoY Change

↑ +4.3%

↑ +57.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +31.8%

Homes in Brown City are 3% more expensive than Durand

Calculate payment - Durand Calculate payment - Brown City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$87.50

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Durand, 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

Brown City, MI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Michigan State Tax

Effective: 4.3%

$6.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 28.9%

$43.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,884/month

$106.6K

Additional Tax Information

Durand, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Brown City, MI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:1.4%

💡 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

Durand

Brown City

42 Good

Air Quality

55 Moderate

72.1%

Good Air Days

32.8%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Durand, IL to Brown City, MI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Brown City, MI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Durand, 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 Durand to Brown City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Brown City, MI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Durand, IL vs Brown City, MI

How do the cost estimates for Durand, IL and Brown City, MI compare?

Brown City, MI has a modeled overall cost index 17.1% lower than Durand, 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 Durand, IL, the model estimates $136,346 in Brown City, MI. 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 Durand, IL and Brown City, MI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,070/month in Durand, IL and $1,060/month in Brown City, MI. 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 Michigan on TaxTakeHome.com