City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 2.6% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $102,600 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 23% in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.2% moving from Chicago, IL to Reno, NV ($118,984 → $106,855), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,509 in Reno | $102,555 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
77 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Reno, NV | Real change, Chicago → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,965 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,972 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,859 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,855 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $126,271 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $62,430 | $64,025 (−18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $125,710 | $128,922 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $82,370 | $84,475 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $107,520 | $110,267 (+9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.