$100k salary, packing up from Austin
changea dispatch from
chicago
IL
41.88°N
87.63°W
Chicago is deep-dish for tourists, thin-crust tavern style for locals, and a hot dog that absolutely will not have ketchup on it. The L rumbles overhead, the lakefront stretches for 18 unbroken miles of beach and trail, and the architecture boat tour is the single best $50 you'll spend. Summer in Chicago might be the best summer in America. The improv comedy gene pool is unmatched.
in our guides
the verdict
the monthly premium over Austin
Chicago is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
37% more expensive than Austin(vs $1,583/mo)
4.95%
$413/mo more in state tax than Austin
vs 0% in Austin
$5,751/mo
$999 less than Austin
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
16% cheaper than Austin
vs $433k in Austin
9.3M
vs 2.5M in Austin
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Austin edges ahead with 170 pleasant days. A real winter, not a brutal one: 38 days under 20°, vs 1 in Austin.
A month here packs 10.8× the events of Austin.
70/100
25% higher than Austin
vs 56/100 in Austin
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
1% higher than Austin
vs 99/100 in Austin
217
417% more than Austin
vs 42 nonstops in Austin
same energy as chicago, different zip code:
compare chicago with:
