Oak Lawn, IL vs Royal Oak, MI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Royal Oak, MI has a modeled overall cost index 15.7% lower than Oak Lawn, IL.

Oak Lawn, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,640 / month
Royal Oak, MI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,695 / 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 Oak Lawn, IL and Royal Oak, 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 Oak Lawn, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,265/month in Royal Oak, MI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $134,817 in Royal Oak, MI

Regional cost estimates: Oak Lawn, IL uses Chicago, IL. Royal Oak, MI uses Detroit, MI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,265

Savings

Annual Impact

$15.2K

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.

Oak Lawn, IL

Population:56K

Cost Index:

99.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$274K

Royal Oak, MI

Population:57K

Cost Index:

83.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$318K

Planning the move to Royal Oak?

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

Oak Lawn, IL

The Prairie State

56K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 56K residents.

Royal Oak, MI

The Great Lakes State

57K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Michigan, this city has a population of 57K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Oak Lawn, IL vs Royal Oak, 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	Oak Lawn, IL	Royal Oak, MI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,453/mo	$1,291/mo	↓ $1,162less	47.4%
Groceries	$956/mo	$897/mo	↓ $58.83less	6.2%
Transportation	$1,493/mo	$1,446/mo	↓ $47.84less	3.2%
All Utilities	$482/mo	$527/mo	↑ $44.60more	9.2%
Other	$1,562/mo	$1,541/mo	↓ $21.86less	1.4%
Healthcare	$553/mo	$533/mo	↓ $19.61less	3.5%

Housing

↓ 47.4%

Oak Lawn, IL

$2,453

Royal Oak, MI

$1,291

Difference

$1,162

less

Groceries

↓ 6.2%

Oak Lawn, IL

$956

Royal Oak, MI

$897

Difference

$58.83

less

Transportation

↓ 3.2%

Oak Lawn, IL

$1,493

Royal Oak, MI

$1,446

Difference

$47.84

less

All Utilities

↑ 9.2%

Oak Lawn, IL

$482

Royal Oak, MI

$527

Difference

$44.60

Other

↓ 1.4%

Oak Lawn, IL

$1,562

Royal Oak, MI

$1,541

Difference

$21.86

less

Healthcare

↓ 3.5%

Oak Lawn, IL

$553

Royal Oak, MI

$533

Difference

$19.61

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,360

To$1,215

↓ $145

1 Bed

From$1,460

To$1,350

↓ $110

2 Bed

From$1,640

To$1,695

↑ $55.00

3 Bed

From$2,110

To$2,070

↓ $40.00

Oak Lawn, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,460–$1,460/mo

Royal Oak, MIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,290–$1,410/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 Oak Lawn, IL

$6,235

Monthly in Royal Oak, MI

$1,265

Difference

Home Values

Oak Lawn

Royal Oak

$274K

Median Value

$318K

↑ +4.5%

YoY Change

↑ +2.2%

↑ +36.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +27.1%

$274K

Price Range

$308K - $328K

Homes in Royal Oak are 16% more expensive than Oak Lawn

Calculate payment - Oak Lawn Calculate payment - Royal Oak

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

Oak Lawn, 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

Royal Oak, 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

Oak Lawn, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Royal Oak, 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

Oak Lawn

Royal Oak

54 Moderate

Air Quality

55 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

32.8%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Oak Lawn, IL to Royal Oak, MI

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Oak Lawn, IL vs Royal Oak, MI

How do the cost estimates for Oak Lawn, IL and Royal Oak, MI compare?

Royal Oak, MI has a modeled overall cost index 15.7% lower than Oak Lawn, 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 Oak Lawn, IL, the model estimates $134,817 in Royal Oak, 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 Oak Lawn, IL and Royal Oak, MI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,640/month in Oak Lawn, IL and $1,695/month in Royal Oak, 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