Residential comparison · 13 facts
Chicago, IL vs San Diego, CA
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 $93,000 in San Diego to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Diego, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $77,000 in Chicago.
A few differences
- San Diego is lower on property tax rate (0.75% vs 2.1%).
- San Diego is lower on sales tax (7.75% vs 10.25%).
- Chicago is lower on groceries index (102 vs 108).
Chicago vs San Diego · facet by facet
| Facet | Chicago, IL | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $360,000 | $950,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,200/mo | $3,150/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 10.25% | 7.75% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 144 |
| Groceries index | 102 | 108 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $98,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 189 days | 266 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 · San Diego, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Chicago cheaper than San Diego?
- Chicago has the lower day-to-day cost index (106 vs 144 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Diego equals $85,000 in Chicago?
- A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $93,000 in San Diego to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Diego lifestyle costs about $77,000 in Chicago.