Is it cheaper to live in Meridian or Naperville?

Meridian, ID is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,690 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Meridian than in Naperville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $62,000 a year in Meridian versus $64,000 in Naperville.

Which has lower taxes, Meridian or Naperville?

Meridian is taxed under Idaho's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.30% and a 6% state sales tax); Naperville under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Meridian vs Naperville Cost of Living 2026

Meridian

Idaho

$1,690/mo est.

Naperville

Illinois

$1,800/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,690 in Meridian, ID versus $1,800 in Naperville, IL. Overall, Meridian, ID is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $98,686 in Meridian, ID and $150,937 in Naperville, IL — about 35% higher in Naperville, IL. Idaho has a top state income tax rate of 5.30% and a 6% state sales tax; Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Meridian, ID

Naperville, IL

Rent

Studio

$1,523

$1,713

+12% in Naperville, IL

1 Bedroom

$1,540

$1,594

+4% in Naperville, IL

2 Bedroom

$1,489

$1,889

+27% in Naperville, IL

3 Bedroom

$1,893

$2,446

+29% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$485,000

$509,900

+5% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income

$98,686

$150,937

+53% in Naperville, IL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,100

$54,720

+11% in Naperville, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.4 yr

40.1 yr

+2.7 yr in Naperville, IL

Homeownership

76.1%

74.3%

+1.8 pp in Meridian, ID

Bachelor's+ (25+)

44.4%

71.7%

+27.3 pp in Naperville, IL

Avg Commute

22.3 min

31.4 min

+9.1 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

150.3

85.7

+43% in Meridian, ID

Property Crime

583.5

892.2

+53% in Naperville, IL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.5°F

49.9°F

+2.6°F in Meridian, ID

Annual Precipitation

11.7 in

36.9 in

+25.2 in in Naperville, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Meridian, ID

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.4

19.9

+38% in Naperville, IL

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.33

$19.71

+74% in Naperville, IL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Meridian, ID

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Meridian, ID

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Naperville, IL

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Meridian, ID

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Naperville, IL

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Meridian, ID

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (ID / IL)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in IL

Income Tax (top rate)

5.30%

4.95%

+0.3 pp in ID

Meridian vs Naperville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Meridian or Naperville?: Meridian, ID is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,690 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Meridian than in Naperville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $62,000 a year in Meridian versus $64,000 in Naperville.
Which has lower taxes, Meridian or Naperville?: Meridian is taxed under Idaho's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.30% and a 6% 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).