City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 5.9% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $105,900 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Chicago, IL to Richmond, VA ($118,984 → $111,183), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,462 in Richmond | $105,863 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$131/yr.
87 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$131/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Richmond, VA | Real change, Chicago → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,475 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $78,009 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,499 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $111,183 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $131,385 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,290 | $64,883 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $132,120 | $139,866 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $84,220 | $89,157 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $93,580 | $99,066 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.