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 | Berkeley | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,067/mo | $1,314/mo | 57.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,280,300 | $304,500 | 320.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $104,716 | $71,673 | 46.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 97.2 | 7.0% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 92.4 | 35.4% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 98.6 | 6.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 97.4 | 6.9% 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 Berkeley, you'd need $63,573 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 36.4% cheaper overall than Berkeley, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 36% lower in Chicago than in Berkeley. If you earn $80,000 in Berkeley, you'd need about $50,858 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.