2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Raleigh, NC vs Lake Forest, IL

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest or is it cheaper to live in Raleigh?
- Lake Forest is 8.3% less expensive than Raleigh.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lake Forest or Raleigh?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 140.2% more expensive than Raleigh housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Raleigh or is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest.
- Health related expenses are 1.6% more in Lake Forest.
 Raleigh, NCLake Forest, ILUnited States
 Overall  Unlock97.0100
 Food & Groceries100.6  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock96.3100
 Housing118.8  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$898,600$338,100
 Utilities99  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock93.7100
 Miscellaneous109.7  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Raleigh    224 Reviews

I moved to Raleigh in 2018. Before that, I lived in Orange County CA, Boulder CO, South Africa, Northern California, Arizona, and Toronto. I say all this to give  More

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Excellent for a great many people or categories of people. As far as prices: ratio of wage and job opportunity here with housing remains one of the better ones in the  More

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Over 2 years ago

I attended university here in the early 90s and came back around 2005 and never left. I'm surprised at the other negative reviews honestly. Yes, housing is pricey in  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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