Cost of Living: Durham, NC vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,254/mo in Durham, NC versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 20.57% of gross in Durham, NC 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 Durham, NC 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: Durham, NC
Cost of Living Index
Durham, NC: 99.2 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Durham, NC, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Durham, NC: $1,342/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Durham, NC is $19/mo higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Home Price
Durham, NC: $355,300 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Durham, NC is $207,500 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Durham, NC: $79,234 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Durham, NC has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $22,419.
Durham, NC overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons