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 | West Palm Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,614/mo | 18.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $324,800 | 6.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $64,044 | 11.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 102.1 | 2.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 86.2 | 96.5 | 10.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 106.5 | 6.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.6 | 104.8 | 5.0% 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 $117,828 in West Palm Beach to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 15.1% cheaper overall than West Palm Beach, FL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 26% lower in Chicago than in West Palm Beach. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $94,263 in West Palm Beach to keep the same standard of living.