City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Alameda | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,301/mo | $1,314/mo | 75.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,147,600 | $304,500 | 276.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $129,917 | $71,673 | 81.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 112.3 | 97.2 | 15.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 138.3 | 92.4 | 49.8% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 121.4 | 98.6 | 23.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 126.7 | 97.4 | 30.1% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Alameda, you'd need $67,734 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 32.3% cheaper overall than Alameda, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 43% lower in Chicago than in Alameda. If you earn $80,000 in Alameda, you'd need about $54,187 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.