City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 1.2% higher than in Chicago, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Chicago, IL would need about $101,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $471 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Chicago, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Minneapolis, MN ($118,984 → $116,038), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,184 in Minneapolis | $98,829 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$471/yr.
65 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$471/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Chicago → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $67,290 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $81,415 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $97,582 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $116,038 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $137,123 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $79,730 | $78,797 (+0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $130,920 | $129,388 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $86,500 | $85,487 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $103,040 | $101,834 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.