Illinois vs Wisconsin: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $292 more a month in Wisconsin than in Illinois after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 14% lower in Wisconsin.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | Illinois | Wisconsin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $4,835 | $4,887 | +$52 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,322 | $1,142 | −$180 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $134 | $125 | −$9 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $180 | $166 | −$14 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $162 | $125 | −$37 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $2,379 | $2,671 | +$292 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Illinois or Wisconsin?
Wisconsin, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, Wisconsin leaves about $292 more a month ($3,499 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in Wisconsin equals $75,000 in Illinois?
About $69,600 a year. At that salary a single filer in Wisconsin keeps the same $2,379 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in Illinois (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between Illinois and Wisconsin?
Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax and Wisconsin has income tax from 3.5% to 7.65% (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $4,835 a month in Illinois and $4,887 in Wisconsin.
How much is rent in Illinois vs Wisconsin?
The median rent is $1,322 a month in Illinois and $1,142 in Wisconsin (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for Illinois or Wisconsin, and the take-home pay calculators for Illinois and Wisconsin.