Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in San Francisco County, CA would need to be about $44,305 in DuPage County, IL, or $5,695 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
San Francisco County, CA vs DuPage County, IL: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
DuPage County, IL is cheaper than San Francisco County, CA.
Moving to DuPage County, IL is estimated to save $8,455 per year.
Cheaper County
DuPage County, ILSave about $8,455 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in San Francisco County, CA is about $44,305 in DuPage County, IL.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $3,998 per year. Housing saves $5,152 per year.
Housing: $5,152 lower in DuPage County, IL
Taxes: $2,263 lower in DuPage County, IL
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $2,184 lower in DuPage County, IL
Food: $958 lower in DuPage County, IL
Transport: $3,998 higher in DuPage County, IL
San Francisco County, CA→DuPage County, IL
Equivalent salary in DuPage County, IL
$44,305
-11.39% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in San Francisco County, CA: $165,603
Median Income in DuPage County, IL: $136,376
Living Index in San Francisco County, CA 44.82%
Living Index in DuPage County, IL 48.23%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from San Francisco County, CA to DuPage County, IL.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from San Francisco County, CA to DuPage County, IL is estimated to save $8,455 per year. A $50,000 salary in San Francisco County, CA would have similar purchasing power to about $44,305 in DuPage County, IL. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -11.39% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $5,152 per year lower (-20.28%); Taxes is $2,263 per year lower (-12.94%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between San Francisco County, CA and DuPage County, IL, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 44.8% of median family income in San Francisco County, CA and 48.2% in DuPage County, IL. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $5,152 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Francisco County, CA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether DuPage County, IL changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $958 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Francisco County, CA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in DuPage County, IL can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $3,998 per year higher in DuPage County, IL than in San Francisco County, CA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around DuPage County, IL.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $2,184 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Francisco County, CA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if DuPage County, IL changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $1,897 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Francisco County, CA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in DuPage County, IL help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in San Francisco County, CA and DuPage County, IL, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in DuPage County, IL, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $2,263 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Francisco County, CA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in DuPage County, IL matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to DuPage County, IL.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to DuPage County, IL
Annual Increase:
$3,998 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to DuPage County, IL.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to DuPage County, IL
Annual Savings:
$5,152 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to DuPage County, IL.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -20% lower | |
| Food | -17% lower | |
| Transport | 46% higher | |
| Healthcare | -30% lower | |
| Other Costs | -20% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -13% lower |
In DuPage County, IL, modeled annual costs are $65,774 compared with $74,229 in San Francisco County, CA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in DuPage County, IL. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case DuPage County, IL and San Francisco County, CA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
