Cost of Living: Bethlehem, PA vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,337/mo in Bethlehem, PA versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 19.1% of gross in Bethlehem, PA versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Bethlehem, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Bethlehem, PA and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Bethlehem, PA
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Bethlehem, PA
Cost of Living Index
Bethlehem, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Bethlehem, PA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Bethlehem, PA: $1,246/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $77/mo higher than in Bethlehem, PA.
Median Home Price
Bethlehem, PA: $236,500 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Bethlehem, PA is $88,700 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Bethlehem, PA: $66,443 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Bethlehem, PA has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $9,628.
Bethlehem, PA overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons