A+
5%
Overall NAT. AVG.
9%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
3%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Swansea Illinois National
Cost of living9596100
Goods & Services9297100
Groceries9798100
Health care8995100
Housing9795100
Transportation94103100
Utilities10289100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Swansea, IL

The cost of living in Swansea affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Swansea is 95, which is 5% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Everyday expenditures like food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care in Swansea are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Swansea can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.

Is Swansea Affordable?

Is Swansea an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Swansea, the median home price is 9.5% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 11.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Swansea come in at $81,625, which is 47.5% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Swansea?

Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Swansea, the groceries index is 3.1% lower than the national average.

Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from 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 crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.

Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Swansea, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 6.25%, and income tax rates start at 4.95%.

Where is the Data From?

The Swansea cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Swansea is 1% lower than the Illinois average
  • The cost of living in Swansea is 5% lower than the national average
  • Swansea housing is 3% lower than the national average
  • Illinois general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
  • Illinois state income tax is 119% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Swansea

See all the best places to live around Swansea

Compare Swansea, IL Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

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      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$94,962$7,914$2,216$2,849
      Renters$47,281$3,940$1,103$1,419
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Swansea is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Swansea has a median income of about $94,962 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $2,216 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $47,281. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $1,103 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      Illinois Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Illinois 6.25% 10.25%

      Illinois Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Illinois 4.95% 4.95%

      Goods & Services

      Item Swansea National avg. Difference
      Haircut $21.19$24.2612.7%
      Beauty Salon $40.57$45.5611.0%
      Toothpaste $3.75$3.701.3%
      Shampoo $1.11$1.2813.3%
      Movie $11.28$12.137.1%
      Bowling $16.92$18.006.0%

      Groceries

      Item Swansea National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.40$5.849.7%
      Fried Chicken $1.36$1.5713.3%
      Milk $4.50$4.673.7%
      Potatoes $5.28$4.936.9%
      Pizza $10.84$12.0910.3%
      Beer $9.47$10.419.1%

      Health Care

      Item Swansea National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $125.72$125.680.0%
      Doctor $124.51$135.788.3%
      Dentist $100.78$113.2911.0%
      Ibuprofen $10.14$10.654.8%
      Lipitor $520.16$468.6011.0%

      Housing

      Item Swansea National avg. Difference
      Home Price $167,200.00$184,700.009.5%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,737.43$2,346.6926.0%
      Apartment Rent $1,057.00$949.0011.4%

      Transportation

      Item Swansea National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.20$3.467.6%
      Tire Balancing $50.00$59.9216.6%

      Utilities

      Item Swansea National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $133.84$193.9931.0%
      Phone $188.69$192.251.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Rentchler, IL4945.9%
      Paderborn, IL65945.9%
      Floraville, IL30945.9%
      Brooklyn, IL4287327.0%
      East St. Louis, IL26,3597723.4%
      Swansea, IL14,100955.1%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Vail, AZ14,09911818.3%
      Willowick, OH14,1039010.5%
      Auburn, CA14,10414444.0%
      Red Bluff, CA14,0911088.5%
      Lake Wylie, SC14,09112019.8%
      Swansea, IL14,100955.1%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.