River Forest, IL vs New Albany, OH: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

New Albany, OH has a modeled overall cost index 14.4% lower than River Forest, IL.

River Forest, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,800 / month
New Albany, OH · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / 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 River Forest, IL and New Albany, OH 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 River Forest, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,216/month in New Albany, OH

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $135,413 in New Albany, OH

Regional cost estimates: River Forest, IL uses Chicago, IL. New Albany, OH uses Columbus, OH. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 14.4%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,216

Savings

Annual Impact

$14.6K

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.

River Forest, IL

Population:11K

Cost Index:

95.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$686K

New Albany, OH

Population:11K

Cost Index:

81.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$558K

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River Forest, IL

The Prairie State

11K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 11K residents.

New Albany, OH

The Buckeye State

11K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Ohio, this city has a population of 11K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: River Forest, IL vs New Albany, OH

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	River Forest, IL	New Albany, OH	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,440/mo	$1,679/mo	↓ $762less	31.2%
Transportation	$1,486/mo	$1,241/mo	↓ $244less	16.5%
Other	$1,554/mo	$1,415/mo	↓ $140less	9.0%
All Utilities	$489/mo	$444/mo	↓ $45.49less	9.3%
Groceries	$970/mo	$926/mo	↓ $43.98less	4.5%
Healthcare	$560/mo	$580/mo	↑ $19.52more	3.5%

Housing

↓ 31.2%

River Forest, IL

$2,440

New Albany, OH

$1,679

Difference

$762

less

Transportation

↓ 16.5%

River Forest, IL

$1,486

New Albany, OH

$1,241

Difference

$244

less

Other

↓ 9.0%

River Forest, IL

$1,554

New Albany, OH

$1,415

Difference

$140

less

All Utilities

↓ 9.3%

River Forest, IL

$489

New Albany, OH

$444

Difference

$45.49

less

Groceries

↓ 4.5%

River Forest, IL

$970

New Albany, OH

$926

Difference

$43.98

less

Healthcare

↑ 3.5%

River Forest, IL

$560

New Albany, OH

$580

Difference

$19.52

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,500

To$1,580

↑ $80.00

1 Bed

From$1,600

To$1,700

↑ $100

2 Bed

From$1,800

To$2,040

↑ $240

3 Bed

From$2,320

To$2,450

↑ $130

River Forest, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,600–$1,600/mo

New Albany, OHZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,700–$1,700/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 River Forest, IL

$6,284

Monthly in New Albany, OH

$1,216

Difference

Home Values

River Forest

New Albany

$686K

Median Value

$558K

↑ +10%

YoY Change

↑ +1.8%

↑ +33.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +41.8%

Homes in New Albany are 19% less expensive than River Forest

Calculate payment - River Forest Calculate payment - New Albany

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $3.0K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$250

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.0%

Rate difference

River Forest, 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

New Albany, OH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Ohio State Tax

Effective: 3.0%

$4.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.6%

$41.4K

Take-Home Pay

$9,047/month

$108.6K

Additional Tax Information

River Forest, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

New Albany, OH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:1.6%

💡 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

River Forest

New Albany

54 Moderate

Air Quality

53 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

41.3%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from River Forest, IL to New Albany, OH

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in New Albany, OH for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in River Forest, 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 River Forest to New Albany moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to New Albany, OH by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: River Forest, IL vs New Albany, OH

How do the cost estimates for River Forest, IL and New Albany, OH compare?

New Albany, OH has a modeled overall cost index 14.4% lower than River Forest, 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 River Forest, IL, the model estimates $135,413 in New Albany, OH. 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 River Forest, IL and New Albany, OH?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,800/month in River Forest, IL and $2,040/month in New Albany, OH. 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 Ohio on TaxTakeHome.com