Cost of Living: Fresno, CA vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Fresno, CA versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Fresno, CA and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Fresno, CA
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Fresno, CA
Cost of Living Index
Fresno, CA: 108.5 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Fresno, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $65/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.
Median Home Price
Fresno, CA: $348,500 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Fresno, CA is $200,700 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Fresno, CA: $66,804 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Fresno, CA has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $9,989.
Fresno, CA overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons