with $100k coming in, swapping out of Boston
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
below Boston's monthly cost
Chicago runs on a fraction of Boston's budget. Same paycheck, real lifestyle upgrade.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
31% cheaper than Boston(vs $3,145/mo)
4.95%
$4/mo less in state tax than Boston
vs 5% in Boston
$5,751/mo
$979 more than Boston
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
53% cheaper than Boston
vs $771k in Boston
9.3M
vs 4.9M in Boston
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Boston has the edge here, logging 160 pleasant days a year.
671% more happening than in Boston.
70/100
1% lower than Boston
vs 71/100 in Boston
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
2% higher than Boston
vs 98/100 in Boston
217
111% more than Boston
vs 103 nonstops in Boston
compare chicago with:
