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 | Owensboro | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $888/mo | 48.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $151,800 | 100.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $51,982 | 37.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 97.0 | 7.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 81.1 | 6.4% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 98.0 | 2.0% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 96.3 | 3.4% 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 $77,395 in Owensboro to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Owensboro, KY is about 22.6% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 45% lower in Owensboro than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $61,916 in Owensboro to keep the same standard of living.