Gulfport vs Joliet
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Gulfport
Joliet
The Verdict
Gulfport is 12.6% less expensive than Joliet overall. A household earning $75,000 in Gulfport would need approximately $85,843 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 Gulfport has the same purchasing power as $85,843 in Joliet.
Conversely, $75,000 in Joliet equals $65,526 in Gulfport.
Living in Gulfport vs Joliet
Housing Costs
Gulfport's housing index of 55 is lower Joliet's 85, translating to median home prices of $185,000 vs $275,000. The $90,000 difference in home prices means roughly $5,856 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,000/mo in Gulfport compared to $1,325/mo in Joliet, a monthly difference of $325.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 95 in Gulfport and 101 in Joliet. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $451/month in Gulfport vs $480/month in Joliet. Gulfport offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $348/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 99 in Gulfport and 94 in Joliet. Monthly utility bills average approximately $396 in Gulfport vs $376 in Joliet. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 98 in Gulfport 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 $48,000 in Gulfport and $88,000 in Joliet. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,831 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 $1,120/month to housing in Gulfport vs $2,053/month in Joliet. In Gulfport, median rent of $1,000/mo fits within this budget. 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 30 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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