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 | Federal Way | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,660/mo | 20.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $454,300 | 33.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $80,360 | 10.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 104.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 102.5 | 15.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 106.2 | 5.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 106.0 | 6.1% 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 $117,925 in Federal Way to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 15.2% cheaper overall than Federal Way, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in Chicago than in Federal Way. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $94,340 in Federal Way to keep the same standard of living.