City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 5.1% higher than in Chicago, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Chicago, IL would need about $105,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,581 in Chicago, IL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 26% in Chicago, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $726 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Chicago, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.4% moving from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC ($118,984 → $121,785), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,105 in Washington | $95,143 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$726/yr.
42 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Chicago, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$726/yr.
84 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Washington, DC | Real change, Chicago → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $70,623 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $85,447 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $102,415 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $121,785 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $143,913 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $125,310 | $148,950 | $141,715 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $154,930 | $147,404 (+9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $102,140 | $97,179 (+18.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $102,710 | $97,721 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.