Chicago vs Los Angeles: Cost of Living
Los Angeles is about 10% more expensive than Chicago, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Chicago at 103.595, Los Angeles at 113.566.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Chicago: 103.595
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Los Angeles: 113.566
Salary parity ($100K in Chicago)
$110K in Los Angeles
If you earn $100K in Chicago, you would need about $110K in Los Angeles to keep the same standard of living (price levels only; taxes on your specific income are separate).
Rents: the biggest difference
Chicago
Rent price parity: 112.01 (U.S. average = 100)
Los Angeles
Rent price parity: 170.433 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Chicago) | Take-home (Chicago) | Median (Los Angeles) | Take-home (Los Angeles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $134K | $96K | $161K | $110K |
| Data Scientist | $108K | $79K | $130K | $92K |
| Registered Nurse | $100K | $75K | $136K | $95K |
| Accountant | $82K | $63K | $94K | $71K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $102K | $76K | $124K | $89K |
| Marketing Manager | $165K | $116K | $172K | $117K |
| Electrician | $102K | $76K | $74K | $58K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $78K | $60K | $102K | $75K |
| Police Officer | $108K | $79K | $122K | $87K |
| Chef | $61K | $48K | $70K | $56K |
| Financial Analyst | $102K | $75K | $102K | $75K |
| Civil Engineer | $100K | $74K | $109K | $79K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $71K | $55K | $78K | $60K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $78K | $60K | $74K | $58K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Chicago (Illinois state tax), Los Angeles (California state tax). A $100K salary nets about $74K in Chicago vs $74K in Los Angeles. Full assumptions: methodology.