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 | Union City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,415/mo | 7.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $448,000 | 32.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $59,967 | 19.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 107.5 | 3.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 118.7 | 27.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 102.9 | 2.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 105.5 | 5.6% 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 $116,001 in Union City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 13.8% cheaper overall than Union City, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 20% lower in Chicago than in Union City. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $92,801 in Union City to keep the same standard of living.