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 | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,224/mo | 7.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $349,500 | 12.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $67,540 | 6.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 102.2 | 4.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 122.0 | 24.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 100.6 | 2.0% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 98.7 | 1.3% 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 $101,052 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 1% cheaper overall than Salem, OR, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Salem than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $80,842 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.