Sycamore, IL vs North Liberty, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

North Liberty, IA has a modeled overall cost index 9.8% lower than Sycamore, IL.

Sycamore, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,410 / month
North Liberty, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,290 / 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 Sycamore, IL and North Liberty, 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 Sycamore, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $956/month in North Liberty, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $138,532 in North Liberty, IA

Regional cost estimates: Sycamore, IL uses Chicago, IL. North Liberty, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 9.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$956

Savings

Annual Impact

$11.5K

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.

Sycamore, IL

Population:19K

Cost Index:

94.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$308K

North Liberty, IA

Population:21K

Cost Index:

85.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$301K

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Sycamore, IL

The Prairie State

19K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 19K residents.

North Liberty, IA

The Hawkeye State

21K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 21K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Sycamore, IL vs North Liberty, 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	Sycamore, IL	North Liberty, IA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,437/mo	$1,790/mo	↓ $647less	26.6%
Transportation	$1,484/mo	$1,189/mo	↓ $295less	19.9%
Healthcare	$563/mo	$671/mo	↑ $108more	19.3%
Groceries	$974/mo	$895/mo	↓ $78.38less	8.1%
All Utilities	$491/mo	$463/mo	↓ $28.41less	5.8%
Other	$1,552/mo	$1,537/mo	↓ $15.04less	1.0%

Housing

↓ 26.6%

Sycamore, IL

$2,437

North Liberty, IA

$1,790

Difference

$647

less

Transportation

↓ 19.9%

Sycamore, IL

$1,484

North Liberty, IA

$1,189

Difference

$295

less

Healthcare

↑ 19.3%

Sycamore, IL

$563

North Liberty, IA

$671

Difference

$108

Groceries

↓ 8.1%

Sycamore, IL

$974

North Liberty, IA

$895

Difference

$78.38

less

All Utilities

↓ 5.8%

Sycamore, IL

$491

North Liberty, IA

$463

Difference

$28.41

less

Other

↓ 1.0%

Sycamore, IL

$1,552

North Liberty, IA

$1,537

Difference

$15.04

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$970

To$1,000

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,080

To$1,090

↑ $10.00

2 Bed

From$1,410

To$1,290

↓ $120

3 Bed

From$1,870

To$1,790

↓ $80.00

Sycamore, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,080–$1,080/mo

North Liberty, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,090–$1,090/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 Sycamore, IL

$6,544

Monthly in North Liberty, IA

$956

Difference

Home Values

Sycamore

North Liberty

$308K

Median Value

$301K

↑ +4.3%

YoY Change

↑ +3.6%

↑ +38.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +27.7%

Homes in North Liberty are 2% less expensive than Sycamore

Calculate payment - Sycamore Calculate payment - North Liberty

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

Sycamore, 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

North Liberty, 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

Sycamore, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

North Liberty, 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

Sycamore

North Liberty

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 Sycamore, IL to North Liberty, IA

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Sycamore, IL vs North Liberty, IA

How do the cost estimates for Sycamore, IL and North Liberty, IA compare?

North Liberty, IA has a modeled overall cost index 9.8% lower than Sycamore, 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 Sycamore, IL, the model estimates $138,532 in North Liberty, 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 Sycamore, IL and North Liberty, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,410/month in Sycamore, IL and $1,290/month in North Liberty, 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