Cost of Living: Salem, OR vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,939/mo in Salem, OR versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Salem, OR versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Salem, OR tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Salem, OR and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Salem, OR
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Salem, OR
Cost of Living Index
Salem, OR: 104.2 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Salem, OR, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Salem, OR: $1,257/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $66/mo higher than in Salem, OR.
Median Home Price
Salem, OR: $382,400 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Salem, OR is $234,600 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Salem, OR: $71,900 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Salem, OR has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $15,085.
Salem, OR overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons