Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,830 in Naperville, IL. Overall, Austin, TX is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $150,937 in Naperville, IL — about 39% higher in Naperville, IL. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Naperville, IL

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$1,713
+27% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,594
+9% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,889
+6% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$2,446
+15% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$509,900
+1% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$150,937
+65% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$54,720
+4% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
40.1 yr
+5.6 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
44.4%
74.3%
+29.9 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
71.7%
+13.5 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
24.0 min
31.4 min
+7.4 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
85.7
+82% in Austin, TX
Property Crime
3,290.7
892.2
+73% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
49.9°F
+17.3°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
36.9 in
+2.0 in in Naperville, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in Naperville, IL

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
23.9
+45% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$15.39
+50% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Naperville, IL
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Austin, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Naperville, IL
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Naperville, IL
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / IL)
6.25%
6.25%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.95%
+5.0 pp in IL

Austin vs Naperville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Naperville?
Austin, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,660 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Naperville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $64,000 in Naperville.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Naperville?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Naperville under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).