City comparison
Augusta, GA 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 12.7% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $112,700 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 $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- 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 +11.8% moving from Augusta, GA to Chicago, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,722 in Chicago | $88,714 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/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 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
37 Weak offer
Chicago, IL → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Augusta, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Chicago, IL | Real change, Augusta → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,110 | $125,310 | $111,167 (+4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $134,380 | $119,214 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $82,360 | $73,065 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $100,490 | $89,148 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.