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 | Lake Havasu City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,163/mo | 13.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $363,300 | 16.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $64,027 | 11.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 98.6 | 5.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 99.6 | 13.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 101.3 | 1.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 101.1 | 1.5% 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 $89,993 in Lake Havasu City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lake Havasu City, AZ is about 10% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 24% lower in Lake Havasu City than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $71,995 in Lake Havasu City to keep the same standard of living.