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 | St. Joseph | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $854/mo | 53.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $138,100 | 120.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $54,515 | 31.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 94.8 | 9.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 89.3 | 3.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 94.2 | 6.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 94.9 | 4.9% 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 $76,409 in St. Joseph to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
St. Joseph, MO is about 23.6% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% lower in St. Joseph than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $61,127 in St. Joseph to keep the same standard of living.