Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/mo est.

vs
Rochester

New York

$1,160/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 $1,160 in Rochester, NY. Overall, Rochester, NY is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $46,628 in Rochester, NY — about 69% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
Rochester, NY

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$750
+56% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$857
+46% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,114
+41% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,240
+49% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$120,600
+76% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$46,628
+69% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$51,210
+6% in Naperville, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
33.5 yr
+6.6 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
37.2%
+37.1 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
29.9%
+41.8 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
18.9 min
+12.5 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
690
+705% in Rochester, NY
Property Crime
892.2
3,533.4
+296% in Rochester, NY

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
48.2°F
+1.7°F in Naperville, IL
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
34.3 in
+2.6 in in Naperville, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$4.04/gal
+3% in Rochester, NY

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs New York.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
23.9
29.9
+25% in Rochester, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$22.74
+48% in Rochester, NY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.92
+16% in Rochester, NY
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.90
+2% in Rochester, NY
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.19
+4% in Rochester, NY
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Rochester, NY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / NY)
6.25%
4%
+2.3 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
10.90%
+6.0 pp in NY

Naperville vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Rochester?
Rochester, NY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,160 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Rochester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $34,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Rochester?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Rochester under New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% 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).