Cost of Living: Independence, MO vs Chicago, IL

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,227/mo in Independence, MO versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 15.46% of gross in Independence, MO versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Independence, MO tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Independence, MO
$4,227/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Chicago, IL
$4,227/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Independence, MO
15.46%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Chicago, IL
20.28%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Independence, MO and Chicago, IL.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Independence, MO
  • Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
  • Higher median household income: Independence, MO

Cost of Living Index

Independence, MO: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)

Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Independence, MO, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Independence, MO: $1,008/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo

Median rent in Chicago, IL is $315/mo higher than in Independence, MO.

Median Home Price

Independence, MO: $166,400 · Chicago, IL: $147,800

Median home price in Independence, MO is $18,600 higher than in Chicago, IL.

Median Household Income

Independence, MO: $59,480 · Chicago, IL: $56,815

Independence, MO has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $2,665.

Independence, MO overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons