Cost of Living: Redwood City, 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 Redwood City, CA versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 43.11% of gross in Redwood City, CA 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 Redwood City, CA 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: Redwood City, CA
Cost of Living Index
Redwood City, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Redwood City, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Redwood City, CA: $2,811/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Redwood City, CA is $1,488/mo higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Home Price
Redwood City, CA: $1,838,800 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Redwood City, CA is $1,691,000 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Redwood City, CA: $150,840 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Redwood City, CA has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $94,025.
Redwood City, CA overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons