Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/mo est.

vs
Seattle

Washington

$2,030/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 $2,030 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Naperville, IL is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 19% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$1,638
+4% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,858
+17% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$2,359
+25% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$2,918
+19% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$912,100
+79% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$121,984
+19% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$72,610
+33% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
35.5 yr
+4.6 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
44.2%
+30.1 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
67.5%
+4.2 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
26.6 min
+4.8 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
788.6
+820% in Seattle, WA
Property Crime
892.2
5,108.8
+473% in Seattle, WA

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
53.5°F
+3.6°F in Seattle, WA
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
37.7 in
+0.8 in in Seattle, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.31/gal
+35% in Seattle, WA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs King County Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
23.9
14.9
+37% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$20.41
+33% in Seattle, WA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Seattle, WA
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Seattle, WA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Seattle, WA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Naperville, IL
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Seattle, WA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / WA)
6.25%
6.5%
+0.3 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
None
+5.0 pp in IL

Naperville vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Seattle?
Naperville, IL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,830 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Seattle?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Seattle?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).