Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/mo est.

vs
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,830 in Naperville, IL versus $1,510 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Raleigh, NC is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 45% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$1,301
+24% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,323
+17% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,462
+23% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,715
+30% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$377,800
+26% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$82,424
+45% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$51,990
+5% in Naperville, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
34.7 yr
+5.4 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
51.2%
+23.1 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
52.9%
+18.8 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
23.4 min
+8.0 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
491.5
+474% in Raleigh, NC
Property Crime
892.2
2,838.4
+218% in Raleigh, NC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.9°F
60.6°F
+10.7°F in Raleigh, NC
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
46.0 in
+9.1 in in Raleigh, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in Naperville, IL

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
23.9
15.1
+37% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$27.56
+79% in Raleigh, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Naperville, IL
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Raleigh, NC
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Naperville, IL
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Naperville, IL
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / NC)
6.25%
4.75%
+1.5 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
3.99%
+1.0 pp in IL

Naperville vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Raleigh?
Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,510 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Raleigh?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Raleigh?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).