Highland Park, IL vs Leawood, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Leawood, KS has a modeled overall cost index 13.1% lower than Highland Park, IL.

Highland Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,460 / month
Leawood, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $1,670 / 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 Highland Park, IL and Leawood, KS 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 Highland Park, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,138/month in Leawood, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,349 in Leawood, KS

Regional cost estimates: Highland Park, IL uses Chicago, IL. Leawood, KS uses Kansas City, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 13.1%

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.

Highland Park, IL

Population:30K

Cost Index:

97.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$726K

Leawood, KS

Population:34K

Cost Index:

84.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$716K

Planning the move to Leawood?

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

Highland Park, IL

The Prairie State

30K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 30K residents.

Leawood, KS

The Sunflower State

34K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 34K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Highland Park, IL vs Leawood, KS

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	Highland Park, IL	Leawood, KS	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,448/mo	$1,754/mo	↓ $695less	28.4%
Transportation	$1,491/mo	$1,125/mo	↓ $365less	24.5%
Other	$1,559/mo	$1,488/mo	↓ $71.79less	4.6%
Groceries	$961/mo	$906/mo	↓ $55.63less	5.8%
All Utilities	$485/mo	$511/mo	↑ $26.05more	5.4%
Healthcare	$556/mo	$579/mo	↑ $23.75more	4.3%

Housing

↓ 28.4%

Highland Park, IL

$2,448

Leawood, KS

$1,754

Difference

$695

less

Transportation

↓ 24.5%

Highland Park, IL

$1,491

Leawood, KS

$1,125

Difference

$365

less

Other

↓ 4.6%

Highland Park, IL

$1,559

Leawood, KS

$1,488

Difference

$71.79

less

Groceries

↓ 5.8%

Highland Park, IL

$961

Leawood, KS

$906

Difference

$55.63

less

All Utilities

↑ 5.4%

Highland Park, IL

$485

Leawood, KS

$511

Difference

$26.05

Healthcare

↑ 4.3%

Highland Park, IL

$556

Leawood, KS

$579

Difference

$23.75

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,040

To$1,350

↓ $690

1 Bed

From$2,180

To$1,470

↓ $710

2 Bed

From$2,460

To$1,670

↓ $790

3 Bed

From$3,170

To$2,180

↓ $990

Highland Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,180–$2,180/mo

Leawood, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,390–$1,800/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 Highland Park, IL

$6,362

Monthly in Leawood, KS

$1,138

Difference

Home Values

Highland Park

Leawood

$726K

Median Value

$716K

↑ +6.2%

YoY Change

↑ +5.5%

↑ +50%

5-Year Change

↑ +40.5%

$726K

Price Range

$656K - $760K

Homes in Leawood are 1% less expensive than Highland Park

Calculate payment - Highland Park Calculate payment - Leawood

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $993

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$82.75

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Highland Park, 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

Leawood, KS

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kansas State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,714/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Highland Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Leawood, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%

Property Tax:1.3%

💡 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

Highland Park

Leawood

54 Moderate

Air Quality

46 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

59.3%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

44 days

Before moving from Highland Park, IL to Leawood, KS

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Leawood, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Highland Park, 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 Highland Park to Leawood moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Highland Park, IL vs Leawood, KS

How do the cost estimates for Highland Park, IL and Leawood, KS compare?

Leawood, KS has a modeled overall cost index 13.1% lower than Highland Park, 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 Highland Park, IL, the model estimates $136,349 in Leawood, KS. 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 Highland Park, IL and Leawood, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,460/month in Highland Park, IL and $1,670/month in Leawood, KS. 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 Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com