Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Boston, MA versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Chicago, IL tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Chicago, IL
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Boston, MA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Boston, MA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $666/mo higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Boston, MA is $562,600 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Boston, MA has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $37,940.
Boston, MA overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons