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 | Monroe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $790/mo | 66.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $158,200 | 92.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $36,550 | 96.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 95.2 | 9.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 79.0 | 9.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 97.2 | 2.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 95.4 | 4.3% higher 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 $72,029 in Monroe to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Monroe, LA is about 28% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 56% lower in Monroe than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $57,624 in Monroe to keep the same standard of living.