Evanston, IL vs Plymouth, MN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Plymouth, MN has a modeled overall cost index 4.4% higher than Evanston, IL.

Evanston, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,370 / month
Plymouth, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $2,095 / 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 Evanston, IL and Plymouth, MN 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 Evanston, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $49.91/month in Plymouth, MN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,401 in Plymouth, MN

Regional cost estimates: Evanston, IL uses Chicago, IL. Plymouth, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 4.4%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$49.91

Savings

Annual Impact

$599

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.

Evanston, IL

Population:75K

Cost Index:

99.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$535K

Plymouth, MN

Population:78K

Cost Index:

104.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$466K

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Evanston, IL

The Prairie State

75K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 75K residents.

Plymouth, MN

The North Star State

78K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 78K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Evanston, IL vs Plymouth, MN

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	Evanston, IL	Plymouth, MN	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,495/mo	$1,282/mo	↓ $213less	14.2%
Healthcare	$551/mo	$716/mo	↑ $165more	29.9%
Housing	$2,455/mo	$2,347/mo	↓ $108less	4.4%
Other	$1,564/mo	$1,649/mo	↑ $85.11more	5.4%
Groceries	$954/mo	$975/mo	↑ $20.98more	2.2%
All Utilities	$481/mo	$481/mo	↑ $0.23more	0.0%

Transportation

↓ 14.2%

Evanston, IL

$1,495

Plymouth, MN

$1,282

Difference

$213

less

Healthcare

↑ 29.9%

Evanston, IL

$551

Plymouth, MN

$716

Difference

$165

Housing

↓ 4.4%

Evanston, IL

$2,455

Plymouth, MN

$2,347

Difference

$108

less

Other

↑ 5.4%

Evanston, IL

$1,564

Plymouth, MN

$1,649

Difference

$85.11

Groceries

↑ 2.2%

Evanston, IL

$954

Plymouth, MN

$975

Difference

$20.98

All Utilities

↑ 0.0%

Evanston, IL

$481

Plymouth, MN

$481

Difference

$0.23

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,970

To$1,525

↓ $445

1 Bed

From$2,100

To$1,720

↓ $380

2 Bed

From$2,370

To$2,095

↓ $275

3 Bed

From$3,050

To$2,775

↓ $275

Evanston, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,930–$2,120/mo

Plymouth, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,530–$1,840/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 Evanston, IL

$7,450

Monthly in Plymouth, MN

$49.91

Difference

Home Values

Evanston

Plymouth

$535K

Median Value

$466K

↑ +6.9%

YoY Change

↑ +1.9%

↑ +25.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +22.9%

$374K - $553K

Price Range

$440K - $602K

Homes in Plymouth are 13% less expensive than Evanston

Calculate payment - Evanston Calculate payment - Plymouth

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $3.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$251

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.0%

Rate difference

Evanston, 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

Plymouth, 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

Additional Tax Information

Evanston, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Plymouth, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

💡 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

Evanston

Plymouth

54 Moderate

Air Quality

42 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

66.4%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.6°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.6°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

14 days

Before moving from Evanston, IL to Plymouth, MN

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Plymouth, MN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Evanston, 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 Evanston to Plymouth moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Plymouth, MN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Evanston, IL vs Plymouth, MN

How do the cost estimates for Evanston, IL and Plymouth, MN compare?

Plymouth, MN has a modeled overall cost index 4.4% higher than Evanston, 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 Evanston, IL, the model estimates $149,401 in Plymouth, MN. 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 Evanston, IL and Plymouth, MN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,370/month in Evanston, IL and $2,095/month in Plymouth, MN. 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 Minnesota on TaxTakeHome.com