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 | Arvada | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,706/mo | $1,314/mo | 29.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $553,000 | $304,500 | 81.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $106,014 | $71,673 | 47.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 106.7 | 97.2 | 9.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 129.3 | 92.4 | 40.0% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 110.0 | 98.6 | 11.5% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 111.2 | 97.4 | 14.2% 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 Arvada, you'd need $82,035 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 18% cheaper overall than Arvada, CO, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in Chicago than in Arvada. If you earn $80,000 in Arvada, you'd need about $65,628 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.