2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Iowa City, IA vs Lake Forest, IL

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest or is it cheaper to live in Iowa City?
- Lake Forest is 8.3% more expensive than Iowa City.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lake Forest or Iowa City?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 262.6% more expensive than Iowa City housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Iowa City or is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest.
- Health related expenses are 7.4% less in Lake Forest.
 Iowa City, IALake Forest, ILUnited States
 Overall  Unlock97.0100
 Food & Groceries99.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock96.3100
 Housing78.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$898,600$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock93.7100
 Miscellaneous117.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Iowa City    24 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

I was there 5 years. Nothing to do but we’ll go shopping... at Walmart. It lacks so many things. There is no experience here, it jumps on any political band wagon and  More

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Over 5 years ago

Entertainment lacks greatly - especially the Hancher shows. I was hoping after they rebuilt they would be getting better shows there, that didn't happen. One has to  More

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Over 7 years ago

Iowa City is great. It's diverse and never boring. There always a variety of new shops and restaurants to explore and try out. Also watching college kids do stupid  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    4 Reviews

We relocated cross county to Lake Forest about a year ago due to a job change. We looked at nearby communities, within proximity of the work commute (the office is in  More

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Be prepared for a so called upscale town with entitled, overpaid, snooty people from teenagers who sneer at you to adults who look you up and down, who make demands on a  More

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Over 15 years ago

Long cold winters, short cold springs, hot humid summers, nice  More

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