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 | Chicago | Decatur | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $801/mo | 64.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $170,000 | 79.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $55,164 | 29.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 97.1 | 7.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 87.8 | 1.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 97.8 | 2.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 96.1 | 3.6% 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 Chicago, you'd need $77,792 in Decatur to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Decatur, AL is about 22.2% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% lower in Decatur than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $62,233 in Decatur to keep the same standard of living.