City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.5% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $103,500 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA and $1,581 in Chicago, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Atlanta, GA to Chicago, IL ($112,556 → $118,984), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,535 in Chicago | $96,586 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
57 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Chicago, IL | Real change, Atlanta → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $68,999 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $83,482 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $100,059 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $118,984 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $140,604 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $78,390 | $75,714 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $134,380 | $129,792 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $82,360 | $79,548 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $100,490 | $97,059 (−3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.