Chicago vs San Diego: Cost of Living
San Diego is about 8% more expensive than Chicago, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Chicago at 103.595, San Diego at 111.887.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Chicago: 103.595
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
San Diego: 111.887
Salary parity ($100K in Chicago)
$108K in San Diego
If you earn $100K in Chicago, you would need about $108K in San Diego 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)
San Diego
Rent price parity: 179.267 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Chicago) | Take-home (Chicago) | Median (San Diego) | Take-home (San Diego) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $134K | $96K | $163K | $112K |
| Data Scientist | $108K | $79K | $131K | $93K |
| Registered Nurse | $100K | $75K | $140K | $98K |
| Accountant | $82K | $63K | $96K | $72K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $102K | $76K | $122K | $87K |
| Marketing Manager | $165K | $116K | $175K | $119K |
| Electrician | $102K | $76K | $76K | $59K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $78K | $60K | $97K | $72K |
| Police Officer | $108K | $79K | $110K | $80K |
| Chef | $61K | $48K | $61K | $49K |
| Financial Analyst | $102K | $75K | $106K | $78K |
| Civil Engineer | $100K | $74K | $109K | $79K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $71K | $55K | $76K | $59K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $78K | $60K | $75K | $59K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Chicago (Illinois state tax), San Diego (California state tax). A $100K salary nets about $74K in Chicago vs $74K in San Diego. Full assumptions: methodology.