Residential comparison · 13 facts
Chicago, IL vs Phoenix, AZ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $73,500 in Phoenix to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Phoenix, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $96,500 in Chicago.
A few differences
- Phoenix is lower on property tax rate (0.6% vs 2.1%).
- Phoenix is lower on sales tax (8.6% vs 10.25%).
- Phoenix is lower on groceries index (101 vs 102).
Chicago vs Phoenix · facet by facet
| Facet | Chicago, IL | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $360,000 | $450,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,200/mo | $1,700/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 1.64% |
| Sales tax | 10.25% | 8.6% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 103 |
| Groceries index | 102 | 101 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $220/mo |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $72,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 189 days | 299 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Chicago, IL · Phoenix, AZ
Questions & answers
- Is Chicago cheaper than Phoenix?
- Phoenix has the lower day-to-day cost index (103 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Phoenix equals $85,000 in Chicago?
- A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $73,500 in Phoenix to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Phoenix lifestyle costs about $96,500 in Chicago.