City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 8.6% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $108,600 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.8% moving from Chicago, IL to Cincinnati, OH ($118,984 → $110,865), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,060 in Cincinnati | $108,624 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
96 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Chicago → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,290 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $77,785 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,231 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $110,865 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $131,009 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $64,740 | $70,323 (−10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $121,420 | $131,892 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $80,640 | $87,595 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $83,650 | $90,864 (−9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.