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 | Bethlehem | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,218/mo | $1,314/mo | 7.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $220,300 | $304,500 | 27.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $62,072 | $71,673 | 13.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 104.3 | 3.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 105.1 | 86.2 | 21.9% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 97.2 | 99.9 | 2.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 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 Bethlehem, you'd need $102,325 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bethlehem, PA is about 2.3% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Bethlehem than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Bethlehem, you'd need about $81,860 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.