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 | Austin | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,314/mo | 17.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $304,500 | 51.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $71,673 | 20.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 97.2 | 1.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 92.4 | 2.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 98.6 | 2.0% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 97.4 | 2.7% 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 Austin, you'd need $84,831 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 15.2% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 15% lower in Chicago than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $67,865 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.