City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 4.8% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $104,800 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,581 in Chicago, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $625 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Chicago, IL ($117,284 → $118,984), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- 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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,793 in Chicago | $95,426 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$625/yr.
54 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$625/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Chicago, IL | Real change, Atlantic City → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $68,999 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $83,482 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $100,059 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $118,984 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $140,604 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $78,390 | $74,805 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $134,380 | $128,234 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $82,360 | $78,593 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $100,490 | $95,894 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.