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 | Escondido | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,833/mo | 28.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $616,400 | 50.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $77,554 | 7.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 107.9 | 9.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 131.2 | 29.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 112.4 | 12.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 114.5 | 14.9% 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 Chicago, you'd need $127,399 in Escondido to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 21.5% cheaper overall than Escondido, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% lower in Chicago than in Escondido. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $101,919 in Escondido to keep the same standard of living.