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Compare Cost of Living

Select two U.S. metro areas to compare their Regional Price Parity (RPP) indices for goods, services, and housing, plus salary equivalents.

Chicago vs Phoenix

Phoenix is 0.3% less expensive than Chicago. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
103.6
Overall RPP
107.3
Goods
83.6
Services
112.0
Rents
Metro B
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
103.3
Overall RPP
95.0
Goods
93.3
Services
121.2
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Chicago Phoenix Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 103.6 103.3 -0.3
Goods 107.3 95.0 -12.2
Services 83.6 93.3 +9.8
Rents/Housing 112.0 121.2 +9.2

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost About the same as Chicago
Chicago
103.6
Phoenix
103.3
Goods Lower than Chicago
Chicago
107.3
Phoenix
95.0
Services Higher than Chicago
Chicago
83.6
Phoenix
93.3
Rents/Housing Higher than Chicago
Chicago
112.0
Phoenix
121.2

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

What you would need to earn in Phoenix to match your purchasing power in Chicago:

Salary in Chicago Equivalent in Phoenix Difference
$50,000 $49,865 $135
$75,000 $74,798 $202
$100,000 $99,731 $269
$150,000 $149,596 $404

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Chicago Phoenix
Population 9,359,555 4,941,206
Median Household Income $88,850 $84,703
Data Year 2024 2024
State IL AZ

Key Differences

Goods: Chicago is 12.2 points cheaper than Phoenix (107.3 vs 95.0).

Services: Phoenix is 9.8 points pricier than Chicago (83.6 vs 93.3).

Rents/Housing: Phoenix is 9.2 points pricier than Chicago (112.0 vs 121.2).

⇆ Reverse comparison Chicago details → Phoenix details →

Also Compare Chicago With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phoenix more expensive than Chicago? ▼
Phoenix is 0.3% less expensive than Chicago. The overall cost index is 103.3 vs 103.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Phoenix is equivalent to $100K in Chicago? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $99,731 in Phoenix, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Chicago and Phoenix? ▼
Housing/rents in Chicago are indexed at 112.0 while Phoenix is at 121.2 (national average = 100). Phoenix has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Chicago or Phoenix? ▼
Chicago is larger by population. Chicago has 9,359,555 residents vs 4,941,206 in Phoenix.

Explore More Data

Salary Calculator → Cost Rankings → All Metros → Rent Data → Salary Data → Relocation Guide →

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Index where U.S. average = 100