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 | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,945/mo | 32.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $879,900 | 65.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $116,068 | 38.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 93.6 | 3.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 89.2 | 3.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 120.5 | 18.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 128.1 | 24.0% 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 $148,017 in Seattle to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 32.4% cheaper overall than Seattle, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 32% lower in Chicago than in Seattle. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $118,414 in Seattle to keep the same standard of living.