| Index | East St. Louis | Illinois | National |
| Cost of living | 77 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 95 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 36 | 95 | 100 |
| Transportation | 97 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 95 | 99 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 94 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 95 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 94 | 100 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in East St. Louis allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in East St. Louis stands at 77, marking it 23% lower than the national average.
According to the latest cost of living report, East St. Louis stands out as one of the most budget-friendly places to reside in the nation. In fact, only a handful of cities boast a cost of living index that is at least 20% below the national average, and East St. Louis proudly belongs to that select group. This underscores the exceptional affordability of this region in comparison to other urban centers.
East St. Louis housing costs are 64.3% less than the national average, making this area an affordable place to live. Your net income can be heavily impacted by housing expenses, at times exceeding 30%. Fortunately, this area demonstrates that both homeownership and renting costs are significantly more budget-friendly than in the rest of the country. With such favorable housing affordability, East St. Louis residents can earmark a more manageable portion of their income to housing.
Is East St. Louis affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take East St. Louis, for instance, where the median home price falls 70.4% lower than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 49.9% lower than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with East St. Louis flaunting a median household income of $36,067, 55.7% lower than the national norm.
Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can fluctuate greatly based on the city or state. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor\’s visits, dentist costs, medication costs and specialized care costs can all impact the cost of living. In East St. Louis, the healthcare costs are 4.6% lower than the national average.
Subsidies: Some cities and states may extend government subsidies or aid programs aimed at reducing the cost of living for their residents. These initiatives encompass diverse forms of support, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Regions with limited subsidy provisions may witness an increase in their overall cost of living.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
The East St. Louis cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $60,722 | $5,060 | $1,417 | $1,822 |
| Renters | $22,684 | $1,890 | $529 | $681 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 10.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Illinois | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Rentchler, IL | 4 | 99 | 1.4% |
| Brooklyn, IL | 445 | 74 | 26.2% |
| Alorton, IL | 2,149 | 78 | 22.3% |
| East Carondelet, IL | 330 | 78 | 22.2% |
| Centreville, IL | 5,098 | 78 | 22.0% |
| East St. Louis, IL | 27,033 | 77 | 22.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Canyon Lake, TX | 27,035 | 108 | 7.8% |
| Smithtown, NY | 27,027 | 154 | 54.4% |
| Sun City West, AZ | 27,025 | 111 | 10.6% |
| Neenah, WI | 27,049 | 92 | 7.6% |
| Sainte-Thérèse, QC | 27,055 | n/a | |
| East St. Louis, IL | 27,033 | 77 | 22.5% |
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