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Cost of living · head to head

Chicago, IL is approximately 9% cheaper than Los Angeles, CA, using Los Angeles, CA as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Los Angeles, CAoverall index
113.6
Chicago, ILoverall index
103.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Los Angeles, CA
A salary of $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA has approximately the same purchasing power as $91,197 in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Chicago, IL is cheaper than Los Angeles, CA, so you’d only need about $91,197 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Los Angeles, CA — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$8,800 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 9%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Chicago, IL run 34% lower than in Los Angeles, CA (112.0 vs 170.4), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryLos Angeles, CAChicago, ILDifference
Overall113.6103.6-9%
Goods106.6107.3+1%
Housing rents170.4112.0-34%
Utilities158.683.6-47%
Other services104.4100.5-4%

Chicago, IL differs from Los Angeles, CA the most in utilities — about 47% lower in Chicago, IL — while the closest is goods.

Estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL

$50,000 in Los Angeles, CA$45,599
$75,000 in Los Angeles, CA$68,398
$100,000 in Los Angeles, CA$91,197
$150,000 in Los Angeles, CA$136,796
$200,000 in Los Angeles, CA$182,394

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Los Angeles, CA.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Chicago, IL cheaper than Los Angeles, CA?

Yes — Chicago, IL has an overall cost-of-living index of 103.6 versus 113.6 for Los Angeles, CA, making it about 9% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Los Angeles, CA if you moved to Chicago, IL?

About $91,197, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Los Angeles, CA has approximately the same purchasing power as $91,197 in Chicago, IL. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Chicago, IL than in Los Angeles, CA?

Housing rents in Chicago, IL score 112.0 versus 170.4 in Los Angeles, CA — about 34% cheaper. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Los Angeles, CA and Chicago, IL?

Overall, Chicago, IL is about 9% cheaper than Los Angeles, CA (index 103.6 vs 113.6), with housing 34% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.