Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in San Mateo County, CA would need to be about $35,090 in DuPage County, IL, or $14,910 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
San Mateo County, CA vs DuPage County, IL: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
DuPage County, IL is cheaper than San Mateo County, CA.
Moving to DuPage County, IL is estimated to save $27,944 per year.
Cheaper County
DuPage County, ILSave about $27,944 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in San Mateo County, CA is about $35,090 in DuPage County, IL.
Biggest drivers
No measured category is higher in DuPage County, IL. Housing saves $10,130 per year.
Housing: $10,130 lower in DuPage County, IL
Taxes: $9,825 lower in DuPage County, IL
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $2,481 lower in DuPage County, IL
Food: $577 lower in DuPage County, IL
Transport: $1,608 lower in DuPage County, IL
San Mateo County, CA→DuPage County, IL
Equivalent salary in DuPage County, IL
$35,090
-29.82% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in San Mateo County, CA: $184,583
Median Income in DuPage County, IL: $136,376
Living Index in San Mateo County, CA 50.77%
Living Index in DuPage County, IL 48.23%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from San Mateo 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 Mateo County, CA to DuPage County, IL is estimated to save $27,944 per year. A $50,000 salary in San Mateo County, CA would have similar purchasing power to about $35,090 in DuPage County, IL. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -29.82% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $10,130 per year lower (-33.34%); Taxes is $9,825 per year lower (-39.22%).
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 Mateo 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 50.8% of median family income in San Mateo 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 $10,130 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Mateo 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 $577 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Mateo 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 $1,608 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Mateo 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 $2,481 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Mateo 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 $3,325 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Mateo 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 Mateo 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 $9,825 per year lower in DuPage County, IL than in San Mateo 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:
No increase
No measured category is higher in DuPage County, IL.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to DuPage County, IL
Annual Savings:
$10,130 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 | -33% lower | |
| Food | -11% lower | |
| Transport | -11% lower | |
| Healthcare | -33% lower | |
| Other Costs | -30% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -39% lower |
In DuPage County, IL, modeled annual costs are $65,774 compared with $93,718 in San Mateo 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 Mateo County, CA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
