Chicago, IL vs Washington, DC Cost of Living
Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024
Chicago is moderately cheaper than Washington — 5.1% lower overall cost of living.
To match an $80,000 salary in Chicago, you would need $84,100 in Washington. Calculate your salary ↓
Category Breakdown
Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.
Salary Equivalency Calculator
Enter your current salary in Chicago to see what you'd need to earn in Washington to maintain the same purchasing power.
Formula: salary × (108.9 ÷ 103.6) = salary × 1.0512. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.
Housing Market
Chicago, IL
- Median Home Price
- $334,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $2,100
- Housing Index
- 112
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 13.3×
Washington, DC
- Median Home Price
- $567,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $2,325
- Housing Index
- 151.1
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 20.3×
Washington has 34.9% higher housing costs compared to Chicago.
Income & Job Market
Chicago, IL
- Median Household Income
- $87,100
- Per Capita Income
- $49,600
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.9%
- Population
- 2,693,976
Washington, DC
- Median Household Income
- $121,500
- Per Capita Income
- $69,300
- Unemployment Rate
- 4%
- Population
- 689,545
Affordability at a Glance
Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).
71% of income left after rent (median)
77% of income left after rent (median)
Related Comparisons
Chicago vs other cities
Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.
Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.
This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.