Peru, IL vs Mount Pleasant, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Mount Pleasant, IA has a modeled overall cost index 7.5% lower than Peru, IL.

Peru, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $960 / month
Mount Pleasant, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $960 / 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 Peru, IL and Mount Pleasant, IA 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 Peru, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $801/month in Mount Pleasant, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $140,391 in Mount Pleasant, IA

Regional cost estimates: Peru, IL uses Chicago, IL. Mount Pleasant, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 7.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$801

Savings

Annual Impact

$9.6K

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.

Peru, IL

Population:10K

Cost Index:

85.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$172K

Mount Pleasant, IA

Population:9K

Cost Index:

79.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$183K

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Peru, IL

The Prairie State

10K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 10K residents.

Mount Pleasant, IA

The Hawkeye State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Peru, IL vs Mount Pleasant, IA

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	Peru, IL	Mount Pleasant, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,404/mo	$1,811/mo	↓ $593less	24.7%
Transportation	$1,464/mo	$1,203/mo	↓ $260less	17.8%
Healthcare	$583/mo	$704/mo	↑ $121more	20.8%
Groceries	$1,009/mo	$940/mo	↓ $69.32less	6.9%
Other	$1,531/mo	$1,556/mo	↑ $24.31more	1.6%
All Utilities	$509/mo	$486/mo	↓ $23.29less	4.6%

Housing

↓ 24.7%

Peru, IL

$2,404

Mount Pleasant, IA

$1,811

Difference

$593

less

Transportation

↓ 17.8%

Peru, IL

$1,464

Mount Pleasant, IA

$1,203

Difference

$260

less

Healthcare

↑ 20.8%

Peru, IL

$583

Mount Pleasant, IA

$704

Difference

$121

Groceries

↓ 6.9%

Peru, IL

$1,009

Mount Pleasant, IA

$940

Difference

$69.32

less

Other

↑ 1.6%

Peru, IL

$1,531

Mount Pleasant, IA

$1,556

Difference

$24.31

All Utilities

↓ 4.6%

Peru, IL

$509

Mount Pleasant, IA

$486

Difference

$23.29

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$690

To$710

↑ $20.00

1 Bed

From$730

To$730

→ $0

2 Bed

From$960

To$960

→ $0

3 Bed

From$1,280

To$1,270

↓ $10.00

Peru, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $730–$730/mo

Mount Pleasant, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $730–$730/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 Peru, IL

$6,699

Monthly in Mount Pleasant, IA

$801

Difference

Home Values

Peru

Mount Pleasant

$172K

Median Value

$183K

↑ +8.7%

YoY Change

↑ +0.5%

↑ +38.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +21.2%

Homes in Mount Pleasant are 6% more expensive than Peru

Calculate payment - Peru Calculate payment - Mount Pleasant

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $3.3K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$273

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.2%

Rate difference

Peru, 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

Mount Pleasant, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

Additional Tax Information

Peru, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Mount Pleasant, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

💡 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

Peru

Mount Pleasant

54 Moderate

Air Quality

45 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

67.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌡☀🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

Before moving from Peru, IL to Mount Pleasant, IA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Mount Pleasant, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Peru, 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 Peru to Mount Pleasant moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Mount Pleasant, IA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Peru, IL vs Mount Pleasant, IA

How do the cost estimates for Peru, IL and Mount Pleasant, IA compare?

Mount Pleasant, IA has a modeled overall cost index 7.5% lower than Peru, 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 Peru, IL, the model estimates $140,391 in Mount Pleasant, IA. 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 Peru, IL and Mount Pleasant, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $960/month in Peru, IL and $960/month in Mount Pleasant, IA. 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 Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com

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