City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 6.2% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $106,200 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,507 in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Chicago, IL to Durham, NC ($118,984 → $111,147), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,186 in Durham | $106,173 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
88 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Durham, NC | Real change, Chicago → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,453 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $77,983 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,468 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $111,147 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $131,342 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $51,400 | $54,573 (−30.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $135,620 | $143,992 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $85,090 | $90,343 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.