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 | Anchorage | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,405/mo | $1,314/mo | 6.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $363,800 | $304,500 | 19.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $95,731 | $71,673 | 33.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.9 | 97.2 | 6.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 124.8 | 92.4 | 35.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 104.1 | 98.6 | 5.6% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 103.4 | 97.4 | 6.1% 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 Anchorage, you'd need $91,839 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 8.2% cheaper overall than Anchorage, AK, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Chicago than in Anchorage. If you earn $80,000 in Anchorage, you'd need about $73,471 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.