Question 1

Is Chicago or Los Angeles cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Chicago, IL is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,912/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,781/mo in Chicago versus $2,903/mo in Los Angeles.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Chicago vs Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $77,500/year before tax in Chicago, IL and $122,000/year in Los Angeles, CA — a difference of about $44,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Chicago or Los Angeles 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 $11,266/month in Los Angeles, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Chicago or Los Angeles?

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	Los Angeles47
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,110	$6,022
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,504	$11,266
Salary for comfort	$77,500/yr	$122,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,781	$2,903
Median home value	$315,200	$879,500
Median household income	$75,134	$80,366
Unemployment	5.4%	5.3%
Housing score	54	2
Jobs score	7	25
Safety score	66	47
Climate score	92	100
Amenities score	73	100
Population	2.7M	3.9M
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	89° / 47°

Chicago, IL vs Los Angeles, CA