Rock Island, IL vs Holland Landing: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Holland Landing ranks meaningfully higher on safety. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Rock Island, IL is approximately 20% less expensive than Holland Landing based on cost of living including rent. This makes Rock Island, IL a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Rock Island, IL has a FIRE Score of 65/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 68, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Rock Island, IL is well-suited for retirees seeking a balanced lifestyle.
Rock Island, IL
United StatesAbout Rock Island, IL
Rock Island is a genuinely cheap small-city option, with a cost of living index of 66/100 against NYC and a 1-bedroom outside the center at $850/mo. The tradeoff is scale: 37 thousand people, a small expat community, and a humid continental climate that swings from hot, humid summers to cold, snowy winters. Safety is a real selling point at a 68/100 index and a crime index of 32/100, and MLI sits just 3 km away, so weekend escapes are easy. Come for the low rent and the FIRE math, not for big-city energy or a ready-made social scene.
About United States
Best for families seeking high English proficiency and excellent air travel access, with no retiree or digital nomad visa available. Internet speed of 390.28 Mbps and a large expat community support remote work, but the cost of living index is 100 (global baseline). Key trade-off: no retirement or digital nomad visa, and a complex pathway to residency or citizenship limits long-term stays.
$1,330/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Holland Landing
Holland Landing is a quiet, safe outlier for anyone who values space over scene, with an excellent expat score of 88/100 and a safety index of 90/100 that makes it feel like a fortress of calm. The rent math is the real story: a single adult can get by on $1,150/mo in the budget tier, and even the comfortable tier at $2,141/mo undercuts most Toronto-area suburbs, though you'll pay for that with brutal winters that hit -28°C. The healthcare is excellent and English is widely spoken, but the digital nomad score of 73/100 and a modest 70 Mbps internet speed mean you're better off as a retiree or a remote worker who doesn't need constant connectivity. If you can handle the cold and don't mind being 5 km from YYZ airport, this is a no-nonsense, low-crime choice that won't drain your wallet.
About Canada
Canada taxes hard: expect 33% federal plus up to 21.8% provincial, a real drag on FIRE math. A retirement visa exists, so retirees do have a potential entry path, though it's not always straightforward. But remote workers and digital nomads should look past this, given a 9/10 expat friendliness score and 379.96 Mbps average internet. A 1BR apartment averaging $1,304.56/mo confirms the tax hit is the real cost center here, not rent.
$1,232/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Which visa fits your move?
Compare income thresholds, fees and residency paths for routes in these countries.
Compare visas for these countriesBattle of Lifestyles
Scroll to compare
| Metric | Rock Island, IL | Holland Landing |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $1050 | $1262.48 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $850 | $1052.06 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $1800 | $1963.85 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $1450 | $1753.44 |
| Safety Index | 68 | 90 |
| Internet Speed | 70.3Mbps | 70Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Rock Island, IL | Holland Landing |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $1,929/mo | $1,838/mo |
| Excluding rent | $1,079/mo | $786/mo |
| Rent | $850/mo | $1,052/mo |
| Groceries | $279/mo | $202/mo |
| Dining out | $200/mo | $140/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $140/mo | $98.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $405/mo | $258/mo |
| Transport | $55.00/mo | $88.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
Planning a move to Holland Landing? Make sure you have the right visa.
Answer 11 questions and get a personalized visa match in under 2 minutes.
Find my visa →Compare any two visa routes.
Income thresholds, fees, processing time and residency paths, side by side. Search by country, including Canada and United States.
Compare visas →Explore Canada
Rock Island, IL vs Holland Landing -- Frequently Asked Questions
Click any question to expand the answer.
Resources for Moving to Holland Landing
Find hotels in Holland Landing
Search and compare hotel prices across hundreds of booking sites.
Search hotels →Short-term rentals in Holland Landing
Browse vacation rentals while you scout neighborhoods for a long-term lease.
Browse rentals →eSIM for Holland Landing
Get connected the moment you land. No physical SIM needed.
Get eSIM →US expat taxes made simple
File your US taxes from abroad with specialists who understand expat life.
File your taxes →Virtual mailbox for US expats
Keep a US address for mail and banking while living abroad.
Get a US address →VPN for secure browsing in Holland Landing
Protect your data and access geo-restricted content while traveling.
Get NordVPN →