St. Paul Park, MN vs Island Lake, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Island Lake, IL has a modeled overall cost index 3.0% lower than St. Paul Park, MN.

St. Paul Park, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $2,330 / month
Island Lake, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,250 / 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 St. Paul Park, MN and Island Lake, 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 St. Paul Park, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $78.71/month in Island Lake, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,945 in Island Lake, IL

Regional cost estimates: St. Paul Park, MN uses Saint Paul, MN. Island Lake, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$78.71

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$945

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.

St. Paul Park, MN

Population:5K

Cost Index:

95.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$304K

Island Lake, IL

Population:8K

Cost Index:

92.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$289K

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St. Paul Park, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Island Lake, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 8K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: St. Paul Park, MN vs Island Lake, 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	St. Paul Park, MN	Island Lake, IL	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,304/mo	$1,496/mo	↑ $193more	14.8%
Healthcare	$748/mo	$571/mo	↓ $177less	23.6%
Housing	$2,298/mo	$2,458/mo	↑ $160more	7.0%
Other	$1,629/mo	$1,566/mo	↓ $63.65less	3.9%
Groceries	$1,018/mo	$989/mo	↓ $29.64less	2.9%
All Utilities	$503/mo	$499/mo	↓ $4.14less	0.8%

Transportation

↑ 14.8%

St. Paul Park, MN

$1,304

Island Lake, IL

$1,496

Difference

$193

Healthcare

↓ 23.6%

St. Paul Park, MN

$748

Island Lake, IL

$571

Difference

$177

less

Housing

↑ 7.0%

St. Paul Park, MN

$2,298

Island Lake, IL

$2,458

Difference

$160

Other

↓ 3.9%

St. Paul Park, MN

$1,629

Island Lake, IL

$1,566

Difference

$63.65

less

Groceries

↓ 2.9%

St. Paul Park, MN

$1,018

Island Lake, IL

$989

Difference

$29.64

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.8%

St. Paul Park, MN

$503

Island Lake, IL

$499

Difference

$4.14

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,690

To$1,870

↑ $180

1 Bed

From$1,920

To$2,000

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$2,330

To$2,250

↓ $80.00

3 Bed

From$3,080

To$2,900

↓ $180

St. Paul Park, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,920–$1,920/mo

Island Lake, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,000–$2,000/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 St. Paul Park, MN

$7,579

Monthly in Island Lake, IL

$78.71

Difference

Home Values

St. Paul Park

Island Lake

$304K

Median Value

$289K

↑ +1.5%

YoY Change

↑ +6%

↑ +21.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +48.8%

Homes in Island Lake are 5% less expensive than St. Paul Park

Calculate payment - St. Paul Park Calculate payment - Island Lake

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

$251

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.0%

Rate difference

St. Paul Park, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Island Lake, 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

St. Paul Park, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Island Lake, 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

St. Paul Park

Island Lake

36 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

72.4%

Good Air Days

35.8%

95 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from St. Paul Park, MN to Island Lake, IL

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Island Lake, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in St. Paul Park, MN. 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 St. Paul Park to Island Lake moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: St. Paul Park, MN vs Island Lake, IL

How do the cost estimates for St. Paul Park, MN and Island Lake, IL compare?

Island Lake, IL has a modeled overall cost index 3.0% lower than St. Paul Park, MN. 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 St. Paul Park, MN, the model estimates $150,945 in Island Lake, 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 St. Paul Park, MN and Island Lake, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,330/month in St. Paul Park, MN and $2,250/month in Island Lake, 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.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Minnesota and Illinois on TaxTakeHome.com