City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 7.3% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $107,300 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Asheville, NC to Chicago, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,346 in Chicago | $93,157 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
47 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Chicago, IL | Real change, Asheville → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $78,390 | $73,026 (+45.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $134,380 | $125,184 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $82,360 | $76,724 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $100,490 | $93,613 (+14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.