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 | $770/mo | 70.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $96,800 | 214.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $49,039 | 46.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 94.5 | 10.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 91.3 | 5.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 98.8 | 1.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 99.4 | ≈ 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 Chicago, you'd need $77,357 in Decatur to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Decatur, IL is about 22.6% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 47% lower in Decatur than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $61,885 in Decatur to keep the same standard of living.