same $100k income, fresh start from Salem
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
pricier each month than Salem
Chicago costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
32% more expensive than Salem(vs $1,642/mo)
4.95%
$317/mo less in state tax than Salem
vs 8.75% in Salem
$5,751/mo
$211 less than Salem
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
19% cheaper than Salem
vs $452k in Salem
9.3M
vs 437k in Salem
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Salem actually gets more: 201 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 38 days below 20° vs Salem's 1.
1295.0× the events of Salem, and the calendar shows it.
70/100
1% higher than Salem
vs 69/100 in Salem
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
14% higher than Salem
vs 88/100 in Salem
217
0% fewer than Salem
vs 0 nonstops in Salem
neighbors of chicago on the map of tradeoffs:
compare chicago with:
