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 | Stamford | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $2,129/mo | 38.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $584,700 | 47.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $100,718 | 28.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 103.3 | 5.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 102.3 | 9.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 99.8 | 1.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 109.7 | 11.2% 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 $130,675 in Stamford to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 23.5% cheaper overall than Stamford, CT, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 38% lower in Chicago than in Stamford. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $104,540 in Stamford to keep the same standard of living.