City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 8.2% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $108,200 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Syracuse, NY ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,420 in Syracuse | $108,202 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
94 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Chicago → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $78,560 | $85,004 (+8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $129,100 | $139,689 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $82,230 | $88,975 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $86,960 | $94,093 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.