City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 10.3% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $110,300 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Chicago, IL to Cleveland, OH ($118,984 → $111,138), while prices change by −9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,664 in Cleveland | $110,298 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Chicago → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,448 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $77,977 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,461 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $111,138 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $131,331 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $76,470 | $84,345 (+7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $111,310 | $122,772 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $80,000 | $88,238 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $83,940 | $92,584 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.