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 | Baltimore | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,235/mo | $1,314/mo | 6.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $202,900 | $304,500 | 33.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,349 | $71,673 | 18.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 106.3 | 97.2 | 9.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 92.5 | 92.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 94.3 | 98.6 | 4.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 114.7 | 97.4 | 17.8% 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 Baltimore, you'd need $100,271 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Baltimore and Chicago have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Baltimore than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Baltimore, you'd need about $80,217 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.