Los Angeles vs Chicago
Los Angeles, CA · Chicago, IL
Chicago is 34% cheaper than Los Angeles overall.
Home Price
Los: $860,000
Chicago: $315,000
Monthly Rent
Los: $2,050/mo
Chicago: $2,288/mo
COL Index
Los: 173
Chicago: 114
Median Income
Los: $76,000
Chicago: $70,100
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Los Angeles has the same purchasing power as $65,896 in Chicago — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Chicago cost 63% more (-$545,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Los Angeles saves you $238/month — $2,856 per year. Median rent: $2,050/mo in Los Angeles vs $2,288/mo in Chicago.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Los Angeles owners pay roughly $6,278/year in property taxes vs $6,615/year in Chicago. That's a $337 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $76,000 in Los Angeles and $70,100 in Chicago. Chicago residents earn 8% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 32 minutes in Los Angeles vs 31 minutes in Chicago. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Los Angeles to Chicago, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Los Angeles | Equivalent in Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $32,948 | -$17,052 |
| $75,000 | $49,422 | -$25,578 |
| $100,000 | $65,896 | -$34,104 |
| $150,000 | $98,844 | -$51,156 |
| $200,000 | $131,792 | -$68,208 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Los Angeles Calculators
Chicago Calculators
Related Comparisons
Los Angeles vs Chicago: Common Questions
Is Los Angeles or Chicago cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Chicago is cheaper overall. Los Angeles has a COL index of 173 while Chicago scores 114 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Los Angeles and Chicago?
The median home price in Los Angeles is $860,000 vs $315,000 in Chicago — a difference of $545,000 (63%).
What salary do I need in Chicago to match my Los Angeles income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Los Angeles is equivalent to $65,896 in Chicago in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Los Angeles has a lower property tax rate (0.73% vs 2.1%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $6,278/year vs $6,615/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.