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

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Irvine or is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest?
- Irvine is 70.0% more expensive than Lake Forest.

Which city has more affordable housing, Irvine or Lake Forest?
- Irvine housing costs are 23.8% more expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest or is Health Care more affordable in Irvine.
- Health related expenses are 3.0% less in Irvine.
 Lake Forest, ILIrvine, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.9100
 Food & Groceries108.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock93.4100
 Housing285.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,128,000$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock111.0100
 Miscellaneous141.0  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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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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Reviews for Irvine    42 Reviews

We've lived in Irvine since '87. We have raised two children within the ISUD. Both are grown up. Sure, there have been many changes since then.. the City has  More

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I've lived in Irvine for 2 years and in Orange County for 10 so I'm pretty familiar with the area by now and all it has to offer. Perhaps my review of this place has  More

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I wouldn't live elsewhere. I originally moved to Irvine in 2002 from the Midwest, not knowing what it even was. I left and moved around a great deal locally in OC,  More

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