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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.

Houston vs Chicago

Chicago is 5.0% more expensive than Houston. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
98.6
Overall RPP
100.6
Goods
95.3
Services
104.5
Rents
Metro B
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
103.6
Overall RPP
107.3
Goods
83.6
Services
112.0
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Houston Chicago Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 98.6 103.6 +5.0
Goods 100.6 107.3 +6.6
Services 95.3 83.6 -11.7
Rents/Housing 104.5 112.0 +7.5

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Higher than Houston
Houston
98.6
Chicago
103.6
Goods Higher than Houston
Houston
100.6
Chicago
107.3
Services Lower than Houston
Houston
95.3
Chicago
83.6
Rents/Housing Higher than Houston
Houston
104.5
Chicago
112.0

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Houston Equivalent in Chicago Difference
$50,000 $52,518 +$2,518
$75,000 $78,776 +$3,776
$100,000 $105,035 +$5,035
$150,000 $157,553 +$7,553

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Houston Chicago
Population 7,274,714 9,359,555
Median Household Income $80,458 $88,850
Data Year 2024 2024
State TX IL

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Chicago is 5.0 points pricier than Houston (98.6 vs 103.6).

Goods: Chicago is 6.6 points pricier than Houston (100.6 vs 107.3).

Services: Houston is 11.7 points cheaper than Chicago (95.3 vs 83.6).

Rents/Housing: Chicago is 7.5 points pricier than Houston (104.5 vs 112.0).

⇆ Reverse comparison Houston details → Chicago details →

Also Compare Houston With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington vs Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicago more expensive than Houston? ▼
Chicago is 5.0% more expensive than Houston. The overall cost index is 103.6 vs 98.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Chicago is equivalent to $100K in Houston? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Houston has the same purchasing power as $105,035 in Chicago, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Houston and Chicago? ▼
Housing/rents in Houston are indexed at 104.5 while Chicago is at 112.0 (national average = 100). Chicago has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Houston or Chicago? ▼
Chicago is larger by population. Houston has 7,274,714 residents vs 9,359,555 in Chicago.

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