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 | Pasadena | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,159/mo | 13.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $171,600 | 77.4% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $64,698 | 10.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 99.6 | 2.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 96.6 | 4.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 83.8 | 17.6% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 98.0 | 0.7% 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 $92,436 in Pasadena to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Pasadena, TX is about 7.6% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 12% lower in Pasadena than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $73,949 in Pasadena to keep the same standard of living.