City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 16.5% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $116,500 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,780 in KS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Wichita, KS ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,859 in Wichita | $116,470 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$25/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$25/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Wichita, KS | Real change, Chicago → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $58,640 | $68,298 (−12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $105,980 | $123,434 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $79,270 | $92,325 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $76,540 | $89,146 (−11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.