Cost of Living in Peoria, IL, United States

Updated On February 22, 2026
Peoria, Illinois, USA downtown skyline on the Lake
Cost of Living Index:
72.4
* Based on Research & User Data

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Cost of Living in United States

How Much Does It Cost to Live in Peoria, IL?

Peoria is a city in Illinois and the county seat of Peoria County.

It’s also a regional hub for the rural and agricultural center of the state.

Peoria is a good town with a rich history: it is a small city yet it has everything that a big city has, but on a much much smaller scale.

The cost of living is reasonable, but most of the jobs don’t pay well, even with a college degree.

Also, this city does have affordable housing options compared to other places in the country.

Cost of Living Breakdown in Peoria, IL

Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

Peoria’s food scene is excellent, and many new restaurants are popping up across town.

There’s a significant number of good chef-owned restaurants.

Like all cities, you’ll find restaurants that are more upscale and areas that are more low-income.

You can expect to eat in an expensive restaurant for no less than 20$.

Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) $20.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) $5.0
Water (0.33 Liter) $1.75
Markets

MARKETS

Food is still very cheap at grocery stores, like Jewel.

Mariano’s or Whole Foods will cost more, but they have more options typically.

If you know how to cook, you will find all the ingredients you need here which is excellent news because you can save a ton of money this way.

Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter) $1.00
Loaf Bread (500g) $3.72
Eggs (12) $4.50
Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

Even though Peoria’s downtown is very walkable, you will probably want a car if you want to get around outside the downtown.

CityLink is the city’s mass-transit system, serving 20 routes in and around the city.

It’s not expensive: a one-way ticket costs only around 1$.

Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket $1.00
Monthly Pass $40.00
Gasoline $1.01
Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities in Peoria are very reasonably priced and on par with most other cities across America.

For an apartment around 85m2 (which is definitely bigger than a usual apartment for one or two people) basic utilities like electricity, trash, and water will cost you 150$ approximately.

Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) $148.05
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local $0.10
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) $65.50
Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

There are cycling options in Peoria, paths, roads, suburbs, etc.

It’s easy to get out of the city on a road bike and enjoy the countryside.

However, if what you’re into is practicing sports inside, becoming a member of a gym or fitness club is very cheap in Peoria.

A gym membership will cost you only around 20$ per month.

Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult $20.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) $25.00
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release $8.00
Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

Peoria’s Riverfront has had a huge revitalization in the recent past and now boasts a variety of local and independent retailers by the pleasant and walkable riverfront.

There are two main malls in the Peoria regional area, usually called the “old mall” and “new mall”.

Here, you’ll find shops offering your favorite brands.

Quality sneakers will cost you around 66$ and lighter pieces of clothing 58.0$.

Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) $58.0
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) $40.37
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) $66.25
Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

You are looking on average at around 970$ for a decent one-bedroom apartment in a nice area of the city.

And of course, the closer you get to the city center, the more expensive the apartments will be.

You can always go to the suburbs and rent a charming apartment further from the city for some 793.20$.

Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center $970.00
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center $793.20
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center $1733.33

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Peoria, IL?

Food is the biggest expense of anyone living in Peoria since rent is somewhat affordable in this city – a rarity much appreciated in an American city.

Still, rent is definitely the second biggest expense in Peoria.

Apart from food and rent, people spend a lot of money on transportation (including gasoline expenses, taxi rides, and car rental expenses) and restaurants.

Utilities and sports are, seemingly, equally important (or equally expensive) in Peoria, since they have the same percentage in this statistic.

Average Costs Breakdown

13.6%
37.9%
9.7%
6.1%
6.1%
2%
24.7%

Peoria, IL: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

The city’s economy is okay, and the people of Peoria receive reasonable salaries compared to the city’s cost of living.

Job opportunities are there but with a limited amount of open job places.

Peoria’s average monthly net salary is reasonably high, above 3300$, so most people can live without any problems, while the minimum monthly wage is considerably less – around 1400$.

Bear in mind, if you like to go out every night, spend money in bars and restaurants, and act comfortably when it comes to pastime and leisure – you’ll probably run out of money and should consider cutting at least some of the expenses.

Average Salary$3335.5
Minimum Wage$1430.00
Mortgage Interest Rate6.65%

Cost of Living by City in United States

City Cost of Living Index
United States FlagAlbany, NY 72.4
United States FlagAlbuquerque, NM 72.4
United States FlagAnchorage, AK 72.4
United States FlagAnn Arbor, MI 72.4
United States FlagArlington, TX 72.4
United States FlagAsheville, NC 72.4
United States FlagAtlanta, GA 72.4
United States FlagAustin, TX 72.4
United States FlagBakersfield, CA 72.4
United States FlagBaltimore, MD 72.4
United States FlagBellevue, WA 72.4
United States FlagBellingham, WA 72.4
United States FlagBerkeley, CA 72.4
United States FlagBirmingham, AL 72.4
United States FlagBoise, ID 72.4
United States FlagBoston, MA 72.4
United States FlagBoulder, CO 72.4
United States FlagBrooklyn, NY 72.4
United States FlagBuffalo, NY 72.4
United States FlagBurlington, VT 72.4
United States FlagCharleston, SC 72.4
United States FlagCharlotte, NC 73.33
United States FlagChattanooga, TN 72.4
United States FlagChicago, IL 72.4
United States FlagCincinnati, OH 72.4
United States FlagCleveland, OH 72.4
United States FlagColumbia, SC 72.4
United States FlagColumbus, OH 72.4
United States FlagDallas, TX 72.4
United States FlagDayton, OH 72.4
United States FlagDenver, CO 72.4
United States FlagDes Moines, IA 72.4
United States FlagDetroit, MI 72.4
United States FlagEl Paso, TX 72.4
United States FlagEugene, OR 72.4
United States FlagEverett, WA 72.4
United States FlagFayetteville, AR 72.4
United States FlagFort Myers, FL 72.4
United States FlagFort Wayne, IN 72.4
United States FlagFort Worth, TX 72.4
United States FlagFresno, CA 74.2
United States FlagGainesville, FL 74.2
United States FlagGrand Rapids, MI 74.2
United States FlagGreensboro, NC 74.2
United States FlagHartford, CT 74.2
United States FlagHonolulu, HI 74.2
United States FlagHouston, TX 74.2
United States FlagHuntsville, AL 74.2
United States FlagIndianapolis, IN 74.2
United States FlagIrvine, CA 74.2
United States FlagJacksonville, FL 74.2
United States FlagJersey City, NJ 74.2
United States FlagKansas City, MO 74.2
United States FlagKnoxville, TN 74.2
United States FlagLas Vegas, NV 74.2
United States FlagLexington, KY 74.2
United States FlagLittle Rock, AR 74.2
United States FlagLong Beach, CA 74.2
United States FlagLos Angeles, CA 74.2
United States FlagLouisville, KY 74.2
United States FlagLubbock, TX 74.2
United States FlagMadison, WI 74.2
United States FlagMemphis, TN 74.2
United States FlagMiami, FL 74.2
United States FlagMilwaukee, WI 74.2
United States FlagMinneapolis, MN 74.2
United States FlagNashville, TN 74.2
United States FlagNew Orleans, LA 74.2
United States FlagNew York, NY 74.2
United States FlagOakland, CA 74.2
United States FlagOklahoma City, OK 74.2
United States FlagOlympia, WA 74.2
United States FlagOrlando, FL 74.2
United States FlagPhiladelphia, PA 72.4
United States FlagPhoenix, AZ 72.4
United States FlagPittsburgh, PA 72.4
United States FlagPortland, ME 72.4
United States FlagPortland, OR 72.4
United States FlagRaleigh, NC 72.4
United States FlagReno, NV 72.4
United States FlagRichmond, VA 74.2
United States FlagRochester, NY 74.2
United States FlagSacramento, CA 74.2
United States FlagSaint Louis, MO 74.2
United States FlagSaint Paul, MN 74.2
United States FlagSaint Petersburg, FL 74.2
United States FlagSalem, OR 74.2
United States FlagSalt Lake City, UT 74.2
United States FlagSan Antonio, TX 74.2
United States FlagSan Diego, CA 74.2
United States FlagSan Francisco, CA 74.2
United States FlagSan Jose, CA 74.2
United States FlagSanta Barbara, CA 74.2
United States FlagSanta Rosa, CA 74.2
United States FlagSeattle, WA 74.2
United States FlagSpokane, WA 74.2
United States FlagSpringfield, MO 74.2
United States FlagSyracuse, NY 74.2
United States FlagTacoma, WA 74.2
United States FlagTallahassee, FL 74.2
United States FlagTampa, FL 74.2
United States FlagToledo, OH 74.2
United States FlagTucson, AZ 74.2
United States FlagTulsa, OK 74.2
United States FlagVancouver, WA 74.2
United States FlagVirginia Beach, VA 74.2
United States FlagWashington, DC 74.2
United States FlagWest Palm Beach, FL 74.2
United States FlagWichita, KS 74.2

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1 Review on Peoria, IL

  1. It’s interesting to see how Peoria offers a blend of small-town charm with some big-city amenities. It’s a real draw for those looking for affordable housing, yet it’s disheartening to hear that many job opportunities remain low-paying, even for college graduates. It raises questions about the long-term prospects for residents who are trying to build a life there. Balancing reasonable living costs with decent wages seems crucial for the community’s growth and the well-being of its residents.

Peoria, IL Rated 4 / 5 based on 1 user reviews.

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