Question 1

Is Chicago or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Chicago, IL is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $633/month less than in Seattle, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,781/mo in Chicago versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Chicago vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $77,500/year before tax in Chicago, IL and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $7,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Chicago or Seattle 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 $8,905/month in Seattle, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Chicago or Seattle?

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	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,110	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,504	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$77,500/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,781	$2,501
Median home value	$315,200	$912,100
Median household income	$75,134	$121,984
Unemployment	5.4%	4.5%
Housing score	54	35
Jobs score	7	36
Safety score	66	40
Climate score	92	92
Amenities score	73	90
Population	2.7M	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	76° / 37°

Chicago, IL vs Seattle, WA