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 | Waukesha | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,115/mo | 17.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $267,200 | 14.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $77,558 | 7.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 94.5 | 10.3% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 91.6 | 5.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 98.7 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 99.3 | ≈ equal |
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 $92,420 in Waukesha to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Waukesha, WI is about 7.6% cheaper overall than Chicago, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 14% lower in Waukesha than in Chicago. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $73,936 in Waukesha to keep the same standard of living.