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 | Bozeman | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,447/mo | $1,314/mo | 10.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $546,100 | $304,500 | 79.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $74,113 | $71,673 | 3.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.4 | 104.3 | 5.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 89.1 | 86.2 | 3.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 99.9 | 0.6% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 100.3 | 99.6 | 0.8% 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 Bozeman, you'd need $92,102 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 7.9% cheaper overall than Bozeman, MT, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 17% lower in Chicago than in Bozeman. If you earn $80,000 in Bozeman, you'd need about $73,681 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.