Boulder vs Joliet
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Boulder
Joliet
The Verdict
Joliet is 55.8% less expensive than Boulder overall. A household earning $75,000 in Boulder would need approximately $48,142 in Joliet to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Boulder has the same purchasing power as $48,142 in Joliet.
Conversely, $75,000 in Joliet equals $116,842 in Boulder.
Living in Boulder vs Joliet
Housing Costs
Boulder's housing index of 230 is higher Joliet's 85, translating to median home prices of $750,000 vs $275,000. The $475,000 difference in home prices means roughly $30,876 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $2,300/mo in Boulder compared to $1,325/mo in Joliet, a monthly difference of $975.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 107 in Boulder and 101 in Joliet. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $508/month in Boulder vs $480/month in Joliet. Joliet offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $336/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 94 in Boulder and 94 in Joliet. Monthly utility bills average approximately $376 in Boulder vs $376 in Joliet. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 104 in Boulder and 102 in Joliet. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $73,123 in Boulder and $88,000 in Joliet. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $49,407 and $92,632 respectively. Joliet residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,706/month to housing in Boulder vs $2,053/month in Joliet. In Boulder, median rent of $2,300/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Joliet, median rent of $1,325/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 145 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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