City vs city
Chicago vs Los Angeles
$100,000 in Chicago buys a lifestyle closer to $134,000 in Los Angeles, because Los Angeles's cost-of-living index is 149 versus 111.
Chicago
Big-city wages and transit without coastal housing prices. Illinois flat tax plus property taxes matter.
- COL index
- 111
- Typical 1-bed
- $1,850/mo
- Comfortable salary
- $94,000
- $100k take-home
- $74,375
Los Angeles
Large, spread-out, and car-dependent. Housing and insurance push costs well above the US average.
- COL index
- 149
- Typical 1-bed
- $2,550/mo
- Comfortable salary
- $127,000
- $100k take-home
- $73,957
More comparisons: vs New York Cityvs San Franciscovs San Josevs Oaklandvs Los Angelesvs San Diego