same $100k income, fresh start from Chicago
changea dispatch from
fort collins
CO
40.59°N
105.08°W
Fort Collins is the home of New Belgium Brewing (Fat Tire's origin) and a thriving craft beer scene with more breweries than Boulder. Old Town's brick streets and historic storefronts are charming enough that they're said to have influenced Disney's Main Street USA designers. CSU keeps the energy young. The foothills rise right outside town, and Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away. Quieter than Boulder, less expensive.
the verdict
cheaper each month than Chicago
Not a fortune, but real money. Fort Collins runs cheaper than Chicago month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,971/mo
9% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
4.4%
$46/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$5,996/mo
$245 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$572k
57% more expensive than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
371k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in fort collins.
Chicago only logs 153 pleasant days.
Chicago hosts 1295.0× more events.
69/100
1% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 31.3 mi.
86/100
14% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
169
22% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
in the same ballpark as fort collins:
