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 | Surprise | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,822/mo | 27.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $352,600 | 13.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $87,756 | 18.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 107.8 | 9.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 131.1 | 29.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 112.2 | 12.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 114.2 | 14.7% 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 $126,918 in Surprise to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 21.2% cheaper overall than Surprise, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% lower in Chicago than in Surprise. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $101,535 in Surprise to keep the same standard of living.