To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Boston, you'd need about $91,900 in Chicago — a $8,100 saving per year.
Estimated monthly spending for a middle-income household, adjusted by each metro's BEA price level.
The salary you'd need in Chicago to maintain the same purchasing power as each income level in Boston, using the BEA price ratio of 0.919.
| Salary in Boston | Equivalent in Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,000 | −$4,000 |
| $75,000 | $69,000 | −$6,000 |
| $100,000 | $91,900 | −$8,100 |
| $150,000 | $137,900 | −$12,100 |
| $200,000 | $183,900 | −$16,100 |
Moving from Boston, MA to Chicago, IL means your everyday costs are cheaper by roughly 8.1%. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures Boston's overall price level at 111.6 and Chicago's at 102.6, where 100 represents the national average. In practical terms, a household spending $5,729 per month in Boston would spend about $5,241 for the equivalent lifestyle in Chicago — a swing of $488 every month, or $5,856 per year.
Housing is the decisive factor. Estimated monthly housing runs $2,538 in Boston against $2,198 in Chicago. Because rent and mortgage costs vary far more between metros than groceries or utilities, the housing line alone accounts for most of the 8.1% gap.
For salary negotiation or a remote-work relocation, the key number is the equivalent salary. A $100,000 income in Boston has the same purchasing power as $91,900 in Chicago. Looked at the other way, $100,000 in Chicago is worth about $108,800 in Boston terms. Use the Cost of Living Calculator to plug in your own expenses.
Price levels don't include income tax, which can significantly swing your real take-home pay — especially between MA and IL.
Chicago is 8.1% cheaper than Boston overall. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2023), Boston has a price level of 111.6 versus 102.6 for Chicago, where 100 equals the national average.
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary in Boston, you would need about $91,900 in Chicago — a difference of $8,100 per year.
Estimated monthly housing runs about $2,538 in Boston versus $2,198 in Chicago. Housing is the single biggest driver of the cost-of-living gap between the two metros.
Sources & methodology
Price levels use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for metropolitan areas (2023, the most recent metro-level release). Boston maps to the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH MSA; Chicago maps to the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA. Category spending baselines come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Category-level figures are modeled estimates and are illustrative; actual costs vary by household. This is a planning tool, not financial advice.
