Recently I was checking out the differences in cost of living between where I live on Marco Island and places I like to visit. So naturally I thought I'd share the highlights with you.
With regards to cost of living Boston Massachusetts is 15% more expensive than Marco Island Florida. The largest cost factor is utilities. Sames goes for New York City which is 19% more expensive than Marco Island.
Hinsdale Illinois, a popular western suburb of Chicago, is 34% more expensive than Marco Island and the biggest factor is the cost of housing. Barrington Hills Illinois, a northwestern suburb of Chicago, is 68% more expensive than Marco Island. And yes housing costs are the biggest cost factor in this case too. Lake Forest Illinois, which is on the North Shore suburbs of Chicago, was 45% more expensive than Marco Island. Housing was again the big difference. Being from the Chicagoland area I really found these comparisons interesting. For the record I did find some Chicago suburbs, such as Naperville Illinois, which did have lower costs of living than Marco Island.
Next I checked out the differences between Marco Island and some popular resort areas. For the skiers, Vail Colorado was 34% more expensive than Marco Island and housing was again the big driver. For you west coast fans, Laguna Beach California was 91% more expensive than Marco Island. But Dana Point California was only 25% more expensive than Marco Island (yep housing again).
Closer to home Naples Florida is 18% more expensive than Marco Island. Housing is the key driver in this comparison as well. Very interesting indeed...
To look at cost of living differences among U.S. cities, there are several options you can choose from. I selected Sperling's BestPlaces. The web site is http://www.bestplaces.net/ and you can check it out and see for yourself.
When you combine these cost of living comparisons with the outstanding quality of life Marco Island offers, it's easy to understand why it is such an amazing place to live an visit. Come and see for yourself!
Oh by the way for my Canadian friends you can find the average house price for your major cities at www.livingin-canada.com/house-prices-canada. Interesting to note that Toronto has an average house price of $454,000 and it has increased 5.3% over last 12 months. There is a great selection of single family homes and condos on Marco Island for under $450,000 today. So if you are thinking about a vacation, second or retirement home, come on down!Labels: Cape Marco, Marco Island, Marco Island Real Estate, Naples, Naples Real Estate
