City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 12.7% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $112,700 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,135 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.7% moving from Chicago, IL to Omaha, NE ($118,984 → $107,501), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,721 in Omaha | $112,712 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,135/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,135/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Chicago → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,339 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,425 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,402 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $107,501 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $127,033 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $62,670 | $70,637 (−9.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $125,220 | $141,138 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $77,030 | $86,822 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $84,600 | $95,355 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.