Illinois vs Florida: which really costs more?
A well-documented move out of the Midwest to the Southeast.
Most of the gap here is income tax. Sales tax lands in much the same place in both, so what you keep from your pay is the part that really moves. The purchase they disagree about most is home purchase. After that it is car purchase and then wedding. Everything below is sorted the same way, biggest gap first, so the things that barely differ sink to the bottom where they belong.
A well-documented outbound migration route from the Midwest to a no-income-tax state.
The dominant term is the income tax differential; the combined sales tax rates are within a rounding band of each other, so take-home rather than consumption drives the spread below. Largest absolute divergence by category: home purchase. Then car purchase, then wedding.
Illinois
- Income tax rate
- 4.95%
- On a $75,000 salary
- 4.76%
- Rank of 51
- 7
- Combined sales tax
- 8.98%
- Rank of 51
- 8
Florida
- Income tax rate
- none
- On a $75,000 salary
- 0%
- Rank of 51
- 43
- Combined sales tax
- 6.98%
- Rank of 51
- 27
Beyond income and sales tax
Illinois charges more than twice the property tax. A home there costs 2.01% of its value a year, against 0.76% in Florida. Illinois also taxes large estates when someone dies, above $4,000,000.00. Florida does not. At the pump, Illinois adds 50¢ 49.6¢ of state tax to every gallon. Florida adds 22¢.
Effective property tax rate: about 2.01% of market value in Illinois against about 0.76% in Florida, more than a two-to-one ratio — a holding cost the income and sales tax figures above do not capture. Illinois levies a state estate tax with an exemption of $4,000,000; Florida levies none. State gasoline excise: 50¢ 49.6¢ per gallon in Illinois, 22¢ in Florida.
The income tax figure is what one person earning $75,000.00 pays to the state, as a share of that pay. The sales tax figure is the combined state and local rate. Both come from the same checked data the calculator uses.
Income tax is the effective state rate at $75,000 for a single filer, not a marginal rate. Sales tax is the combined state and local rate at each state's representative county where one is modeled, and a statewide average for the forty-five jurisdictions that carry no named county. Both figures come from the same verified datasets the calculator uses.
Illinois against Florida
A $75,000 salary
| Measure | Illinois | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $58,025 | $61,593 |
| Worth after local prices | $58,697 | $59,537 |
| Share of pay taxed | 22.63% | 17.88% |
| State sales tax | 6.25% | 6% |
| Groceries exempt here | Yes | Yes |
| Clothing exempt at $100 | No | No |
| Property tax rate | 2.01% | 0.76% |
| Price level | 98.9 | 103.5 |
| Housing prices | 92.4 | 123.1 |
| Fuel tax | 49.6¢ | 22¢ |
| Tobacco tax | $2.98 | $1.34 |
City income tax excluded. Sales-tax row: state-only. Exemptions: Illinois, Statewide average; Florida, Statewide average. Clothing: one $100 item; higher prices can change tax.
Where each state is strong
A $75,000 salary
Further out is better on every axis. Axes use fixed national ranges, not the two states alone.
Where each state takes it
A $75,000 salary
- Income
- Sales
- Property
| Tax | Illinois | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Income, all levels | $16,975 | $13,408 |
| Sales, on that spending | $1,088 | $1,109 |
| Property, on that home | $4,024 | $1,521 |
Assumes 30% of take-home spent on taxable goods and a $200,000 home. Three bases, so never summed.
What gets taxed, in each
A $75,000 salary
Illinois
Statewide average
Florida
Statewide average
- Sales tax
- Fuel
- Tobacco
| Category | Illinois | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Groceries | Exempt | Exempt |
| Clothing at $100 | 8.98% | 6.98% |
| Fuel | 49.6¢ | 22¢ |
| Tobacco | $2.98 | $1.34 |
Grocery and general rates use the locations named here. Clothing is one item priced at $100; a more expensive garment may be taxed differently. Fuel and tobacco have separate units and scales.
What you would need there
A $75,000 salary
| To match take-home only | $69,929 |
|---|---|
| You could take a cut of | −$1,236 |
| Prices in Florida | 103 vs 99 |
State taxes and state price levels only. No city tax, and no housing market.
What things actually cost in each
These are the amounts you would need to earn before tax to pay for each thing, at a $75,000.00 salary. Biggest gaps first.
Gross income required at $75,000, using each category's default assumptions, sorted by the absolute difference between the two states.
| Category | Illinois | Florida | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home purchase | $1,342,439 | $1,126,334 | $216,105 cheaper in Florida |
| Car purchase | $142,341 | $132,259 | $10,082 cheaper in Florida |
| Wedding | $50,091 | $45,620 | $4,471 cheaper in Florida |
| Coffee habit | $27,403 | $25,008 | $2,396 cheaper in Florida |
| Used car from a private seller | $19,996 | $18,248 | $1,748 cheaper in Florida |
| Car payment or lease | $17,780 | $16,529 | $1,251 cheaper in Florida |
| Funeral | $12,232 | $11,372 | $861 cheaper in Florida |
| Phone plan | $10,536 | $9,794 | $741 cheaper in Florida |
| Jewelry | $5,832 | $5,322 | $510 cheaper in Florida |
| Pet annual cost | $2,580 | $2,354 | $226 cheaper in Florida |
| Furniture | $2,500 | $2,281 | $219 cheaper in Florida |
| Rent | $2,752 | $2,559 | $194 cheaper in Florida |
| Laptop or phone purchase | $2,000 | $1,825 | $175 cheaper in Florida |
| Major appliance | $1,833 | $1,673 | $160 cheaper in Florida |
| Sofa bed | $1,666 | $1,521 | $146 cheaper in Florida |
| Mattress | $1,500 | $1,369 | $131 cheaper in Florida |
| Winter tires | $1,500 | $1,369 | $131 cheaper in Florida |
| Childcare | $1,682 | $1,564 | $118 cheaper in Florida |
| Tires | $1,333 | $1,217 | $117 cheaper in Florida |
| Bicycle | $1,166 | $1,064 | $102 cheaper in Florida |
| Espresso machine | $1,166 | $1,064 | $102 cheaper in Florida |
| Office chair | $1,000 | $912 | $87 cheaper in Florida |
| Hotel stay | $1,070 | $994 | $75 cheaper in Florida |
| Theme park day | $846 | $773 | $73 cheaper in Florida |
| Air conditioner | $833 | $760 | $73 cheaper in Florida |
| Back-to-school clothes | $833 | $760 | $73 cheaper in Florida |
| Games console | $833 | $760 | $73 cheaper in Florida |
| Lawn mower | $750 | $684 | $66 cheaper in Florida |
| Camping gear | $708 | $646 | $62 cheaper in Florida |
| Power tools | $667 | $608 | $58 cheaper in Florida |
| Suit | $667 | $608 | $58 cheaper in Florida |
| School uniform | $600 | $547 | $52 cheaper in Florida |
| Vacuum cleaner | $583 | $532 | $51 cheaper in Florida |
| Health insurance premium | $688 | $640 | $48 cheaper in Florida |
| Cookware | $500 | $456 | $44 cheaper in Florida |
| Gift card | $612 | $569 | $43 cheaper in Florida |
| Student loan payment | $612 | $569 | $43 cheaper in Florida |
| Vet visit | $550 | $512 | $39 cheaper in Florida |
| Running shoes | $433 | $395 | $38 cheaper in Florida |
| Luggage | $417 | $380 | $36 cheaper in Florida |
| Domestic flight | $501 | $466 | $35 cheaper in Florida |
| Work uniform | $367 | $335 | $32 cheaper in Florida |
| Winter coat | $333 | $304 | $29 cheaper in Florida |
| School supplies | $300 | $274 | $26 cheaper in Florida |
| Meal kit | $367 | $341 | $26 cheaper in Florida |
| Utilities | $321 | $299 | $23 cheaper in Florida |
| Concert ticket | $227 | $208 | $19 cheaper in Florida |
| Weekly groceries | $268 | $249 | $19 cheaper in Florida |
| Car insurance | $252 | $235 | $18 cheaper in Florida |
| Clothing | $200 | $182 | $17 cheaper in Florida |
| Grocery delivery | $217 | $202 | $15 cheaper in Florida |
| Rental car | $417 | $403 | $14 cheaper in Florida |
| Restaurant dinner | $160 | $146 | $14 cheaper in Florida |
| Storage unit | $199 | $185 | $14 cheaper in Florida |
| Costume | $150 | $137 | $13 cheaper in Florida |
| Birthday cake | $184 | $171 | $13 cheaper in Florida |
| Swimwear | $142 | $129 | $12 cheaper in Florida |
| Pet food | $100 | $91 | $8.75 cheaper in Florida |
| Baby clothes | $92 | $84 | $8.01 cheaper in Florida |
| Sunscreen | $92 | $84 | $8.01 cheaper in Florida |
| Cannabis (legal states) | $108 | $101 | $7.63 cheaper in Florida |
| Internet service | $107 | $100 | $7.54 cheaper in Florida |
| First aid supplies | $75 | $68 | $6.57 cheaper in Florida |
| Gym membership | $75 | $68 | $6.57 cheaper in Florida |
| Streaming bundle | $75 | $68 | $6.57 cheaper in Florida |
| Toiletries | $67 | $61 | $5.83 cheaper in Florida |
| Pizza delivery | $62 | $57 | $5.17 cheaper in Florida |
| Vitamins and supplements | $58 | $53 | $5.11 cheaper in Florida |
| Baby formula | $69 | $64 | $4.85 cheaper in Florida |
| Gas fill-up | $69 | $64 | $4.85 cheaper in Florida |
| Deli sandwich | $55 | $50 | $4.81 cheaper in Florida |
| Food delivery | $59 | $54 | $4.76 cheaper in Florida |
| Haircut | $64 | $60 | $4.52 cheaper in Florida |
| Books | $50 | $46 | $4.38 cheaper in Florida |
| Dry cleaning | $61 | $57 | $4.33 cheaper in Florida |
| Cinema ticket | $49 | $45 | $4.28 cheaper in Florida |
| Prescription refill | $47 | $43 | $3.87 cheaper in Florida |
| Soft drinks | $40 | $37 | $3.50 cheaper in Florida |
| Coffee beans | $37 | $34 | $2.59 cheaper in Florida |
| Frozen meals | $34 | $31 | $2.38 cheaper in Florida |
| Rideshare trip | $34 | $31 | $2.38 cheaper in Florida |
| Over-the-counter medicine | $25 | $23 | $2.19 cheaper in Florida |
| Energy drinks | $23 | $21 | $2.05 cheaper in Florida |
| Candy | $20 | $18 | $1.76 cheaper in Florida |
| Fast food meal | $20 | $18 | $1.76 cheaper in Florida |
| Bar drink | $18 | $16 | $1.57 cheaper in Florida |
| Bread and bakery | $21 | $20 | $1.51 cheaper in Florida |
| Cigarettes or vape | $15 | $14 | $1.32 cheaper in Florida |
| Snack food | $18 | $17 | $1.30 cheaper in Florida |
| Bottled water | $15 | $14 | $1.07 cheaper in Florida |
| Bottled juice | $14 | $13 | $0.97 cheaper in Florida |
Across the 91 things we can price in both states, Florida comes out cheaper more often. That is not the whole story. Housing, wages and property tax move far more than sales tax does, and none of them are in these numbers. See limitations.
Across the 91 categories computable in both states, Florida is cheaper more often. ⚠️ This compares tax treatment alone: housing costs, prevailing wages and property tax vary far more between states than sales tax does, and none of them enter these figures. See limitations.
Questions people ask
One of these has no income tax — is it simply the cheaper one?
Not on its own. A state without an income tax has to raise the money somewhere else, so the comparison only means something once sales and property are counted too. The pair here differs by about 2% on the sales side, which is where a good deal of that difference reappears.
Do the different taxes point the same way for this pair?
Unusually, yes. Most pairs trade one tax against another; these two line up, which makes the comparison hold across very different spending patterns.
How much would moving between these two actually change?
Materially, on at least one tax. That makes this a pair where running your own numbers changes the answer rather than confirming it.
Does the absence of an income tax make this the lower-burden state?
One state levies no personal income tax on wages and the other does. Revenue substitution means the comparison is only meaningful across all three bases: the combined sales rate differs by about 2%, and property tax is levied independently. ⚠️ Relative burden depends on a household's income, consumption and property mix, and reverses across that range for many pairs.
Do the levies rank these states consistently?
Both levies rank these states in the same direction, so the burden ordering is stable across consumption patterns rather than reversing at some spending share. ⚠️ Property tax is levied independently and is not included in that consistency; it can still reverse the total for a homeowner.
How material is this differential?
At least one levy differs materially between these states. Aggregate effect is income- and consumption-dependent and should be computed for the specific household rather than inferred from headline rates; the ordering can still reverse once property tax is included.