with $100k coming in, swapping out of Los Angeles
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
lighter monthly cost than Los Angeles
Chicago sits well below Los Angeles on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
25% cheaper than Los Angeles(vs $2,899/mo)
4.95%
$362/mo less in state tax than Los Angeles
vs 9.3% in Los Angeles
$5,751/mo
$1,092 more than Los Angeles
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
65% cheaper than Los Angeles
vs $1029k in Los Angeles
9.3M
vs 12.8M in Los Angeles
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Los Angeles edges ahead with 283 pleasant days. A real winter, not a brutal one: 38 days under 20°, vs 0 in Los Angeles.
A real upgrade on things to do: 3.7× Los Angeles's pace.
70/100
4% higher than Los Angeles
vs 67/100 in Los Angeles
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
4% higher than Los Angeles
vs 96/100 in Los Angeles
217
45% more than Los Angeles
vs 150 nonstops in Los Angeles
cities that play in chicago's register:
compare chicago with:
