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 | Carmichael | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,480/mo | $1,314/mo | 12.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $495,400 | $304,500 | 62.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $80,138 | $71,673 | 11.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.6 | 97.2 | 7.6% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 125.9 | 92.4 | 36.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 105.6 | 98.6 | 7.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 105.3 | 97.4 | 8.1% 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 Carmichael, you'd need $89,181 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 10.8% cheaper overall than Carmichael, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% lower in Chicago than in Carmichael. If you earn $80,000 in Carmichael, you'd need about $71,345 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.