Moving to Illinois from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Kingdom to Illinois? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 2.6% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly $73,000 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Illinois cheaper than United Kingdom?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 7.5% less
Groceries
pay 31.2% more
Transportation
pay 31.8% less
Housing
pay 0.7% more
Childcare
pay 8.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.4% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Illinois?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → $73,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Illinois cost about 15% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Illinois
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Kingdom to Illinois.
people moved from United Kingdom to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
17.673,667
United Kingdom
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Illinois compared to United Kingdom.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
United Kingdom performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
United Kingdom performs better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
United Kingdom performs better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Illinois vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) |
Met Office
National Weather ServiceCan you move from United Kingdom to Illinois?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Illinois than United Kingdom?
On average Illinois is about 3% less expensive than United Kingdom, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
Budget about $18,250 for 3 months in Illinois (based on a £56,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Illinois?
From major Illinois cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in United Kingdom and Illinois are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Chicago is 59°F, compared to 60°F in London. Chicago receives around 36.9 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
Both United Kingdom and Illinois share the same official language: English.
