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 | Barnstable Town | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,711/mo | $1,314/mo | 30.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $498,700 | $304,500 | 63.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $94,387 | $71,673 | 31.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.2 | 104.3 | 5.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 140.7 | 86.2 | 63.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 99.6 | 99.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 102.2 | 99.6 | 2.7% 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 Barnstable Town, you'd need $98,524 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 1.5% cheaper overall than Barnstable Town, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 5% lower in Barnstable Town than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Barnstable Town, you'd need about $78,819 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.