Question 1

Is Chicago or Denver cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Chicago, IL is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $361/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,781/mo in Chicago versus $2,089/mo in Denver.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Chicago vs Denver?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $77,500/year before tax in Chicago, IL and $84,000/year in Denver, CO — a difference of about $6,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Chicago or Denver cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Chicago, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,504/month in Chicago and $8,304/month in Denver, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Chicago or Denver?

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	Chicago62	Denver57
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,110	$4,471
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,504	$8,304
Salary for comfort	$77,500/yr	$84,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,781	$2,089
Median home value	$315,200	$586,700
Median household income	$75,134	$91,681
Unemployment	5.4%	3.8%
Housing score	54	32
Jobs score	7	41
Safety score	66	35
Climate score	92	93
Amenities score	73	64
Population	2.7M	713.7K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	92° / 20°

Chicago, IL vs Denver, CO