2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Des Plaines, IL vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest or is it cheaper to live in Des Plaines?
- Lake Forest is 56.0% more expensive than Des Plaines.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lake Forest or Des Plaines?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 195.6% more expensive than Des Plaines housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Des Plaines or is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest.
- Health related expenses are 6.1% more in Lake Forest.
 Des Plaines, ILLake Forest, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.9100
 Food & Groceries97.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock93.4100
 Housing101.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$937,500$338,100
 Utilities96  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock111.6100
 Miscellaneous139.8  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Des Plaines    4 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

low  More

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Over 16 years ago

The historic center of des plaines is also downtown. Fairly easy commute to Chicago. The metra is right there. Also there is the Des Plaines public library with a great  More

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Over 18 years ago

Changing of the seasons is good. But it's too cold for too  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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