City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 12.4% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $112,400 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Memphis, TN ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,980 in Memphis | $112,385 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Memphis, TN | Real change, Chicago → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,510 | $69,128 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $125,580 | $141,133 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $76,960 | $86,491 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $81,500 | $91,593 (−8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.