Melrose Park, IL vs Columbia Heights, MN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Columbia Heights, MN has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% higher than Melrose Park, IL.

Melrose Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,520 / month
Columbia Heights, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,530 / 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 Melrose Park, IL and Columbia Heights, 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 Melrose Park, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $53.47/month in Columbia Heights, MN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,358 in Columbia Heights, MN

Regional cost estimates: Melrose Park, IL uses Chicago, IL. Columbia Heights, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 4.2%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$53.47

Savings

Annual Impact

$642

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.

Melrose Park, IL

Population:24K

Cost Index:

96.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$300K

Columbia Heights, MN

Population:22K

Cost Index:

101.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$289K

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Melrose Park, IL

The Prairie State

24K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 24K residents.

Columbia Heights, MN

The North Star State

22K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 22K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Melrose Park, IL vs Columbia Heights, 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	Melrose Park, IL	Columbia Heights, MN	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,489/mo	$1,276/mo	↓ $213less	14.3%
Healthcare	$557/mo	$723/mo	↑ $166more	29.8%
Housing	$2,446/mo	$2,336/mo	↓ $110less	4.5%
Other	$1,558/mo	$1,641/mo	↑ $83.17more	5.3%
Groceries	$963/mo	$984/mo	↑ $20.70more	2.1%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$486/mo	↓ $0.01less	0.0%

Transportation

↓ 14.3%

Melrose Park, IL

$1,489

Columbia Heights, MN

$1,276

Difference

$213

less

Healthcare

↑ 29.8%

Melrose Park, IL

$557

Columbia Heights, MN

$723

Difference

$166

Housing

↓ 4.5%

Melrose Park, IL

$2,446

Columbia Heights, MN

$2,336

Difference

$110

less

Other

↑ 5.3%

Melrose Park, IL

$1,558

Columbia Heights, MN

$1,641

Difference

$83.17

Groceries

↑ 2.1%

Melrose Park, IL

$963

Columbia Heights, MN

$984

Difference

$20.70

All Utilities

↓ 0.0%

Melrose Park, IL

$486

Columbia Heights, MN

$486

Difference

$0.01

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,260

To$1,110

↓ $150

1 Bed

From$1,350

To$1,260

↓ $90.00

2 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,530

↑ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,960

To$2,020

↑ $60.00

Melrose Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,350–$1,350/mo

Columbia Heights, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,260–$1,260/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 Melrose Park, IL

$7,447

Monthly in Columbia Heights, MN

$53.47

Difference

Home Values

Melrose Park

Columbia Heights

$300K

Median Value

$289K

↑ +0.7%

YoY Change

↑ +1.2%

↑ +23.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +19.5%

Homes in Columbia Heights are 4% less expensive than Melrose Park

Calculate payment - Melrose Park Calculate payment - Columbia Heights

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

Melrose 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

Columbia Heights, 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

Melrose Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Columbia Heights, 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

Melrose Park

Columbia Heights

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 Melrose Park, IL to Columbia Heights, MN

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Melrose Park, IL vs Columbia Heights, MN

How do the cost estimates for Melrose Park, IL and Columbia Heights, MN compare?

Columbia Heights, MN has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% higher than Melrose 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 Melrose Park, IL, the model estimates $149,358 in Columbia Heights, 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 Melrose Park, IL and Columbia Heights, MN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,520/month in Melrose Park, IL and $1,530/month in Columbia Heights, 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