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 | Alexandria | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,983/mo | $1,314/mo | 50.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $655,700 | $304,500 | 115.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $113,179 | $71,673 | 57.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.9 | 97.2 | 4.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 87.6 | 92.4 | 5.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 90.0 | 98.6 | 8.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 92.8 | 97.4 | 4.8% lower 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 Alexandria, you'd need $66,264 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 33.7% cheaper overall than Alexandria, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 34% lower in Chicago than in Alexandria. If you earn $80,000 in Alexandria, you'd need about $53,011 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.