Loves Park, IL vs Garden City, MI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Garden City, MI has a modeled overall cost index 16.1% lower than Loves Park, IL.

Loves Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,240 / month
Garden City, MI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,270 / 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 Loves Park, IL and Garden 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 Loves Park, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,077/month in Garden City, MI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,078 in Garden City, MI

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

Overall Cost

↓ 16.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,077

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.9K

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.

Loves Park, IL

Population:23K

Cost Index:

97.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$192K

Garden City, MI

Population:26K

Cost Index:

81.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$194K

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Loves Park, IL

The Prairie State

23K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 23K residents.

Garden City, MI

The Great Lakes State

26K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Michigan, this city has a population of 26K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Loves Park, IL vs Garden 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	Loves Park, IL	Garden City, MI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,340/mo	$1,327/mo	↓ $1,014less	43.3%
Transportation	$1,328/mo	$1,485/mo	↑ $157more	11.8%
Healthcare	$704/mo	$552/mo	↓ $151less	21.5%
Other	$1,691/mo	$1,583/mo	↓ $108less	6.4%
All Utilities	$498/mo	$546/mo	↑ $48.56more	9.8%
Groceries	$939/mo	$930/mo	↓ $9.10less	1.0%

Housing

↓ 43.3%

Loves Park, IL

$2,340

Garden City, MI

$1,327

Difference

$1,014

less

Transportation

↑ 11.8%

Loves Park, IL

$1,328

Garden City, MI

$1,485

Difference

$157

Healthcare

↓ 21.5%

Loves Park, IL

$704

Garden City, MI

$552

Difference

$151

less

Other

↓ 6.4%

Loves Park, IL

$1,691

Garden City, MI

$1,583

Difference

$108

less

All Utilities

↑ 9.8%

Loves Park, IL

$498

Garden City, MI

$546

Difference

$48.56

Groceries

↓ 1.0%

Loves Park, IL

$939

Garden City, MI

$930

Difference

$9.10

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$850

To$910

↑ $60.00

1 Bed

From$950

To$1,010

↑ $60.00

2 Bed

From$1,240

To$1,270

↑ $30.00

3 Bed

From$1,640

To$1,550

↓ $90.00

Loves Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $950–$950/mo

Garden City, MIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,010–$1,010/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 Loves Park, IL

$6,423

Monthly in Garden City, MI

$1,077

Difference

Home Values

Loves Park

Garden City

$192K

Median Value

$194K

↑ +7.4%

YoY Change

↑ +2%

↑ +54.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +37.3%

Homes in Garden City are 1% more expensive than Loves Park

Calculate payment - Loves Park Calculate payment - Garden 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

Loves 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

Garden 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

Loves Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Garden 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

Loves Park

Garden 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 Loves Park, IL to Garden 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 Garden City, MI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Loves 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 Loves Park to Garden City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Loves Park, IL vs Garden City, MI

How do the cost estimates for Loves Park, IL and Garden City, MI compare?

Garden City, MI has a modeled overall cost index 16.1% lower than Loves 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 Loves Park, IL, the model estimates $137,078 in Garden 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 Loves Park, IL and Garden City, MI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,240/month in Loves Park, IL and $1,270/month in Garden 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