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 | Tempe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,472/mo | 10.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $382,100 | 20.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $72,022 | 0.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 104.5 | 7.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 125.8 | 26.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 105.4 | 6.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 105.1 | 7.3% 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 $111,781 in Tempe to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 10.5% cheaper overall than Tempe, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% lower in Chicago than in Tempe. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $89,425 in Tempe to keep the same standard of living.