Morton Grove, IL vs Buffalo Grove, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Buffalo Grove, IL has a modeled overall cost index 1.2% higher than Morton Grove, IL.

Morton Grove, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,670 / month
Buffalo Grove, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,560 / 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 Morton Grove, IL and Buffalo Grove, IL 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 Morton Grove, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $81.05/month in Buffalo Grove, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,973 in Buffalo Grove, IL

Regional cost estimates: Morton Grove, IL uses Chicago, IL. Buffalo Grove, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 1.2%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$81.05

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$973

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.

Morton Grove, IL

Population:24K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$414K

Buffalo Grove, IL

Population:42K

Cost Index:

98.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$425K

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Morton Grove, IL

The Prairie State

24K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Buffalo Grove, IL

The Prairie State

42K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 42K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Morton Grove, IL vs Buffalo Grove, IL

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	Morton Grove, IL	Buffalo Grove, IL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,447/mo	$2,477/mo	↑ $30.54more	1.2%
Other	$1,558/mo	$1,578/mo	↑ $19.45more	1.2%
Transportation	$1,489/mo	$1,508/mo	↑ $18.59more	1.2%
Groceries	$963/mo	$969/mo	↑ $5.99more	0.6%
Healthcare	$557/mo	$560/mo	↑ $3.46more	0.6%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$489/mo	↑ $3.02more	0.6%

Housing

↑ 1.2%

Morton Grove, IL

$2,447

Buffalo Grove, IL

$2,477

Difference

$30.54

Other

↑ 1.2%

Morton Grove, IL

$1,558

Buffalo Grove, IL

$1,578

Difference

$19.45

Transportation

↑ 1.2%

Morton Grove, IL

$1,489

Buffalo Grove, IL

$1,508

Difference

$18.59

Groceries

↑ 0.6%

Morton Grove, IL

$963

Buffalo Grove, IL

$969

Difference

$5.99

Healthcare

↑ 0.6%

Morton Grove, IL

$557

Buffalo Grove, IL

$560

Difference

$3.46

All Utilities

↑ 0.6%

Morton Grove, IL

$486

Buffalo Grove, IL

$489

Difference

$3.02

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,220

To$2,130

↓ $90.00

1 Bed

From$2,370

To$2,270

↓ $100

2 Bed

From$2,670

To$2,560

↓ $110

3 Bed

From$3,440

To$3,300

↓ $140

Morton Grove, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,370–$2,370/mo

Buffalo Grove, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,270–$2,270/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 Morton Grove, IL

$7,581

Monthly in Buffalo Grove, IL

$81.05

Difference

Home Values

Morton Grove

Buffalo Grove

$414K

Median Value

$425K

↑ +6.7%

YoY Change

↑ +5.8%

↑ +40%

5-Year Change

↑ +41.4%

Homes in Buffalo Grove are 2% more expensive than Morton Grove

Calculate payment - Morton Grove Calculate payment - Buffalo Grove

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Morton Grove, 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

Buffalo Grove, 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

Additional Tax Information

Morton Grove, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Buffalo Grove, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 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

Morton Grove

Buffalo Grove

54 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

35.8%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Morton Grove, IL to Buffalo Grove, IL

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Buffalo Grove, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Morton Grove, 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 Morton Grove to Buffalo Grove moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Buffalo Grove, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Morton Grove, IL vs Buffalo Grove, IL

How do the cost estimates for Morton Grove, IL and Buffalo Grove, IL compare?

Buffalo Grove, IL has a modeled overall cost index 1.2% higher than Morton Grove, 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 Morton Grove, IL, the model estimates $150,973 in Buffalo Grove, IL. 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 Morton Grove, IL and Buffalo Grove, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,670/month in Morton Grove, IL and $2,560/month in Buffalo Grove, IL. 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.