same $100k income, fresh start from San Jose
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 San Jose
In Chicago, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
37% cheaper than San Jose(vs $3,470/mo)
4.95%
$362/mo less in state tax than San Jose
vs 9.3% in San Jose
$5,751/mo
$1,663 more than San Jose
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
80% cheaper than San Jose
vs $1796k in San Jose
9.3M
vs 1.9M in San Jose
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
San Jose gets 283 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. A real winter, not a brutal one: 38 days under 20°, vs 0 in San Jose.
1989% more happening than in San Jose.
70/100
0% lower than San Jose
vs 70/100 in San Jose
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
5% higher than San Jose
vs 95/100 in San Jose
217
648% more than San Jose
vs 29 nonstops in San Jose
same energy as chicago, different zip code:
compare chicago with:
