Cost of Living: Reading, 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 Reading, PA versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 14.83% of gross in Reading, PA versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Reading, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Reading, PA and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Reading, PA
- Lower home prices: Reading, PA
- Higher median household income: Chicago, IL
Cost of Living Index
Reading, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Reading, PA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Reading, PA: $967/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $356/mo higher than in Reading, PA.
Median Home Price
Reading, PA: $109,800 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Chicago, IL is $38,000 higher than in Reading, PA.
Median Household Income
Reading, PA: $45,599 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Chicago, IL has a higher median household income than Reading, PA by $11,216.
Reading, PA overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons