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 | Bismarck | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $969/mo | $1,314/mo | 26.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $283,800 | $304,500 | 6.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $76,014 | $71,673 | 6.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 95.9 | 104.3 | 8.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 80.0 | 86.2 | 7.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 92.9 | 99.9 | 7.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 99.6 | 6.1% lower 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 Bismarck, you'd need $118,098 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bismarck, ND is about 15.3% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in Bismarck than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Bismarck, you'd need about $94,478 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.