City comparison
Albany, NY vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 4.0% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $104,000 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 $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 23% in Albany, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.4% moving from Albany, NY to Chicago, IL ($109,810 → $118,984), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,047 in Chicago | $96,111 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
56 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Chicago, IL | Real change, Albany → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $68,999 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $83,482 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $100,059 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $118,984 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $140,604 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $78,390 | $75,341 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $134,380 | $129,154 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $82,360 | $79,157 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $100,490 | $96,582 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.