Mount Sterling, IL vs Oakland City, IN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Oakland City, IN has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% higher than Mount Sterling, IL.

Mount Sterling, IL · modeled 2BR rent
$1,050 / month
Oakland City, IN · modeled 2BR rent
$1,020 / 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 Mount Sterling, IL and Oakland City, IN 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

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $177/month in Oakland City, IN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,123 in Oakland City, IN

Regional cost estimates: Mount Sterling, IL uses St. Louis, MO. Oakland City, IN uses Louisville, KY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 1.1%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$177
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$2.1K
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.

Mount Sterling, IL

Population:2K
Cost Index:
78.4
100 = national average
Typical Home:$155K

Oakland City, IN

Population:2K
Cost Index:
79.3
100 = national average
Typical Home:$158K

Planning the move to Oakland City?

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

Mount Sterling, IL

The Prairie State

2K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Oakland City, IN

The Hoosier State

2K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Mount Sterling, IL vs Oakland City, IN

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.

Housing
↑ 11.3%
Mount Sterling, IL
$1,906
Oakland City, IN
$2,123
Difference
$216
more
All Utilities
↓ 14.2%
Mount Sterling, IL
$638
Oakland City, IN
$547
Difference
$90.91
less
Transportation
↑ 5.5%
Mount Sterling, IL
$1,376
Oakland City, IN
$1,451
Difference
$75.05
more
Other
↓ 3.3%
Mount Sterling, IL
$1,819
Oakland City, IN
$1,760
Difference
$59.22
less
Healthcare
↑ 5.9%
Mount Sterling, IL
$628
Oakland City, IN
$665
Difference
$36.76
more
Groceries
↓ 0.1%
Mount Sterling, IL
$1,132
Oakland City, IN
$1,131
Difference
$0.95
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$720
To$770
↑ $50.00
1 Bed
From$800
To$780
↓ $20.00
2 Bed
From$1,050
To$1,020
↓ $30.00
3 Bed
From$1,260
To$1,290
↑ $30.00
Mount Sterling, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $800–$800/mo

Oakland City, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $780–$780/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 Mount Sterling, IL
$7,677
Monthly in Oakland City, IN
$177
Difference

Home Values

Mount Sterling
Oakland City
$155K
Median Value
$158K
↑ +7.6%
YoY Change
↑ +5.1%
↓ -10.3%
5-Year Change
↑ +41.5%

Homes in Oakland City are 2% more expensive than Mount Sterling

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $2.6K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$215
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
1.7%
Rate difference

Mount Sterling, 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

Oakland City, IN

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Indiana State Tax
Effective: 3.2%
$4.8K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 27.9%
$41.9K
Take-Home Pay
$9,012/month
$108.1K

Additional Tax Information

Mount Sterling, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%
Property Tax:2.2%

Oakland City, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

💡 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

Mount Sterling
Oakland City
54 Moderate
Air Quality
50 Good
38%
Good Air Days
50.8%
99 High
Climate Risk
98 High
🌊🌡🫨
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🌪
▲+3.0°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.9°F
39 days
Heat Days >95°F
37 days
▲+3.0°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.9°F
39 days
Heat Days >95°F
37 days

Before moving from Mount Sterling, IL to Oakland City, IN

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Oakland City, IN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Mount Sterling, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Mount Sterling to Oakland City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Mount Sterling, IL vs Oakland City, IN

How do the cost estimates for Mount Sterling, IL and Oakland City, IN compare?

Oakland City, IN has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% higher than Mount Sterling, 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 Mount Sterling, IL, the model estimates $152,123 in Oakland City, IN. 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 Mount Sterling, IL and Oakland City, IN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,050/month in Mount Sterling, IL and $1,020/month in Oakland City, IN. 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 Indiana on TaxTakeHome.com

Similar cost to Oakland City, IN

Other cities in a similar price range

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison