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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.

Los Angeles vs Chicago

Chicago is 8.8% less expensive than Los Angeles. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
113.6
Overall RPP
106.6
Goods
158.6
Services
170.4
Rents
Metro B
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
103.6
Overall RPP
107.3
Goods
83.6
Services
112.0
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Los Angeles Chicago Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 113.6 103.6 -10.0
Goods 106.6 107.3 +0.6
Services 158.6 83.6 -75.0
Rents/Housing 170.4 112.0 -58.4

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
113.6
Chicago
103.6
Goods About the same as Los Angeles
Los Angeles
106.6
Chicago
107.3
Services Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
158.6
Chicago
83.6
Rents/Housing Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
170.4
Chicago
112.0

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Los Angeles Equivalent in Chicago Difference
$50,000 $45,610 $4,390
$75,000 $68,415 $6,585
$100,000 $91,220 $8,780
$150,000 $136,830 $13,170

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Los Angeles Chicago
Population 13,012,469 9,359,555
Median Household Income $93,525 $88,850
Data Year 2024 2024
State CA IL

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Los Angeles is 10.0 points cheaper than Chicago (113.6 vs 103.6).

Goods: Chicago is 0.6 points pricier than Los Angeles (106.6 vs 107.3).

Services: Los Angeles is 75.0 points cheaper than Chicago (158.6 vs 83.6).

Rents/Housing: Los Angeles is 58.4 points cheaper than Chicago (170.4 vs 112.0).

⇆ Reverse comparison Los Angeles details → Chicago details →

Also Compare Los Angeles With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington vs Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicago more expensive than Los Angeles? ▼
Chicago is 8.8% less expensive than Los Angeles. The overall cost index is 103.6 vs 113.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Chicago is equivalent to $100K in Los Angeles? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Los Angeles has the same purchasing power as $91,220 in Chicago, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Los Angeles and Chicago? ▼
Housing/rents in Los Angeles are indexed at 170.4 while Chicago is at 112.0 (national average = 100). Los Angeles has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Los Angeles or Chicago? ▼
Los Angeles is larger by population. Los Angeles has 13,012,469 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