City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 2.7% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $102,700 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 $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $806 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Chicago, IL ($117,402 → $118,984), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,691 in Chicago | $97,379 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$806/yr.
60 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$806/yr.
77 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Chicago, IL | Real change, Ann Arbor → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,999 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $83,482 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,059 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $118,984 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $140,604 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,010 | $125,310 | $122,026 (+16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $134,380 | $130,858 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $82,360 | $80,202 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $100,490 | $97,856 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.