Machesney Park, IL vs Romulus, MI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Romulus, MI has a modeled overall cost index 16.3% lower than Machesney Park, IL.

Machesney Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,350 / month
Romulus, MI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,340 / 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 Machesney Park, IL and Romulus, 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 Machesney Park, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,095/month in Romulus, MI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,862 in Romulus, MI

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

Overall Cost

↓ 16.3%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,095

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.1K

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.

Machesney Park, IL

Population:23K

Cost Index:

97.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$194K

Romulus, MI

Population:25K

Cost Index:

81.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$209K

Planning the move to Romulus?

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

Machesney Park, IL

The Prairie State

23K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Romulus, MI

The Great Lakes State

25K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Michigan, this city has a population of 25K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Machesney Park, IL vs Romulus, 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	Machesney Park, IL	Romulus, MI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,341/mo	$1,323/mo	↓ $1,018less	43.5%
Transportation	$1,329/mo	$1,481/mo	↑ $152more	11.4%
Healthcare	$703/mo	$551/mo	↓ $152less	21.6%
Other	$1,691/mo	$1,578/mo	↓ $114less	6.7%
All Utilities	$497/mo	$545/mo	↑ $47.63more	9.6%
Groceries	$939/mo	$928/mo	↓ $10.62less	1.1%

Housing

↓ 43.5%

Machesney Park, IL

$2,341

Romulus, MI

$1,323

Difference

$1,018

less

Transportation

↑ 11.4%

Machesney Park, IL

$1,329

Romulus, MI

$1,481

Difference

$152

Healthcare

↓ 21.6%

Machesney Park, IL

$703

Romulus, MI

$551

Difference

$152

less

Other

↓ 6.7%

Machesney Park, IL

$1,691

Romulus, MI

$1,578

Difference

$114

less

All Utilities

↑ 9.6%

Machesney Park, IL

$497

Romulus, MI

$545

Difference

$47.63

Groceries

↓ 1.1%

Machesney Park, IL

$939

Romulus, MI

$928

Difference

$10.62

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$930

To$960

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,030

To$1,070

↑ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,350

To$1,340

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,790

To$1,640

↓ $150

Machesney Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,030–$1,030/mo

Romulus, MIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,070–$1,070/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 Machesney Park, IL

$6,405

Monthly in Romulus, MI

$1,095

Difference

Home Values

Machesney Park

Romulus

$194K

Median Value

$209K

↑ +9.9%

YoY Change

↑ +4.3%

↑ +58%

5-Year Change

↑ +31.7%

Homes in Romulus are 8% more expensive than Machesney Park

Calculate payment - Machesney Park Calculate payment - Romulus

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

Machesney 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

Romulus, 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

Machesney Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Romulus, 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

Machesney Park

Romulus

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 Machesney Park, IL to Romulus, MI

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Machesney Park, IL vs Romulus, MI

How do the cost estimates for Machesney Park, IL and Romulus, MI compare?

Romulus, MI has a modeled overall cost index 16.3% lower than Machesney 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 Machesney Park, IL, the model estimates $136,862 in Romulus, 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 Machesney Park, IL and Romulus, MI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,350/month in Machesney Park, IL and $1,340/month in Romulus, 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