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 | Bel Air South | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,502/mo | $1,314/mo | 14.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $362,300 | $304,500 | 19.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $113,739 | $71,673 | 58.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.3 | 104.3 | 2.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 105.6 | 86.2 | 22.5% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.2 | 99.9 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.5 | 99.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bel Air South, you'd need $95,196 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 4.8% cheaper overall than Bel Air South, MD, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Chicago than in Bel Air South. If you earn $80,000 in Bel Air South, you'd need about $76,156 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.