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 | Ann Arbor | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,472/mo | $1,314/mo | 12.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $416,500 | $304,500 | 36.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $78,546 | $71,673 | 9.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 104.3 | 9.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 96.3 | 86.2 | 11.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.8 | 99.9 | 1.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 99.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Ann Arbor, you'd need $95,813 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 4.2% cheaper overall than Ann Arbor, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% lower in Chicago than in Ann Arbor. If you earn $80,000 in Ann Arbor, you'd need about $76,650 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.