$100k salary, packing up from Portland
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 Portland
A small premium for Chicago. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
22% more expensive than Portland(vs $1,781/mo)
4.95%
$317/mo less in state tax than Portland
vs 8.75% in Portland
$5,751/mo
$72 less than Portland
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
35% cheaper than Portland
vs $562k in Portland
9.3M
vs 2.5M in Portland
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Portland has the edge here, logging 178 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 38 days below 20° here, 2 in Portland.
10.5× the events of Portland, and the calendar shows it.
70/100
20% lower than Portland
vs 87/100 in Portland
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
0% lower than Portland
vs 100/100 in Portland
217
281% more than Portland
vs 57 nonstops in Portland
neighbors of chicago on the map of tradeoffs:
compare chicago with:
