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 | La Crosse | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $941/mo | 39.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $183,300 | 66.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $51,836 | 38.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 94.6 | 10.2% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 90.2 | 4.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 98.7 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 99.3 | ≈ 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 $82,674 in La Crosse to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
La Crosse, WI is about 17.3% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% lower in La Crosse than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $66,139 in La Crosse to keep the same standard of living.