Question 1

Is Arlington or Chicago cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Chicago, IL is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1/month less than in Arlington, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,781/mo in Chicago.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Chicago?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $77,500/year in Chicago, IL — a difference of about $5,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Chicago cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Chicago, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $7,504/month in Chicago, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Chicago?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Chicago costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	Chicago62
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$4,110
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$7,504
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$77,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,781
Median home value	$276,400	$315,200
Median household income	$73,519	$75,134
Unemployment	4.1%	5.4%
Housing score	60	54
Jobs score	58	7
Safety score	65	66
Climate score	96	92
Amenities score	73	73
Population	394.8K	2.7M
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	83° / 20°

Arlington, TX vs Chicago, IL