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 | Auburn | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,594/mo | $1,314/mo | 21.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $460,100 | $304,500 | 51.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $87,406 | $71,673 | 22.0% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 105.7 | 97.2 | 8.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 127.6 | 92.4 | 38.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 107.8 | 98.6 | 9.3% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 108.3 | 97.4 | 11.2% 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 Auburn, you'd need $85,426 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 14.6% cheaper overall than Auburn, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 18% lower in Chicago than in Auburn. If you earn $80,000 in Auburn, you'd need about $68,341 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.