Pleasant Plains, IL vs Ste. Marie, IL

The cost of living difference between Pleasant Plains, IL and Ste. Marie, IL is dramatic. Ste. Marie is 51% cheaper than Pleasant Plains, a gap that translates to thousands of dollars per year in household expenses. Pleasant Plains has a cost index of 76 while Ste. Marie sits at 50, making this one of the more striking comparisons on our site. Relocating between these cities would require a serious reassessment of budget and lifestyle expectations.

On the housing front, median rent in Pleasant Plains is $1,038/month compared to $263/month in Ste. Marie — a 295% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Ste. Marie is more affordable at $103,900 median vs $152,000.

Median household income in Pleasant Plains is $78,542 compared to $80,417 in Ste. Marie (-2.3%). Ste. Marie offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Pleasant Plains spend roughly 15.9% of their income on rent, more than the 3.9% in Ste. Marie.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (54°F vs 55.7°F). Ste. Marie receives more rainfall at 41.7" per year compared to 38" in Pleasant Plains.