on $100k a year, leaving Raleigh
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 Raleigh
You'd pay for Chicago. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
30% more expensive than Raleigh(vs $1,663/mo)
4.95%
$38/mo more in state tax than Raleigh
vs 4.5% in Raleigh
$5,751/mo
$544 less than Raleigh
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
17% cheaper than Raleigh
vs $440k in Raleigh
9.3M
vs 1.5M in Raleigh
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Raleigh has the edge here, logging 201 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 38 days below 20° here, 3 in Raleigh.
A month here packs 27.6× the events of Raleigh.
70/100
21% higher than Raleigh
vs 58/100 in Raleigh
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
3% higher than Raleigh
vs 97/100 in Raleigh
217
456% more than Raleigh
vs 39 nonstops in Raleigh
compare chicago with:
