Chicago-Joliet-Naperville vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale

Cost of Living Comparison

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville

Gross Salary $70,000
Tax -$10,706
Rent (2BR) -$21,372
Net Income $37,922

To match your lifestyle in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, you'd need:

$113,978

The Verdict

Cost of Living Index

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville 111.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale 173.0
Cheaper Avg (100) Pricier

Purchasing Power

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville $34,163
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale $16,669

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale

Gross Salary $70,000
Tax -$9,953
Rent (2BR) -$31,212
Net Income $28,835

To match your lifestyle in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, you'd need:

$45,625

The Bottom Line

On a $70,000 salary, you would have $9,087 more per year in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville compared to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale. You'd pay $753 less in taxes in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, while housing costs 46% more. The cost of living in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville is 11% above avg, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale is 73% above avg, making Chicago-Joliet-Naperville the more affordable city overall. Your $70,000 salary in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville feels like earning $113,978 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale once you factor in taxes, rent, and cost of living. For K-12 education, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale has a better pupil-teacher ratio (0:1 vs 0:1). College is more affordable in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale ($21,482 vs $21,053 avg in-state tuition).

K-12 Schools

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
Schools
2,644
2,529
Enrollment
1,520,725
1,973,265
Pupil:Teacher
0:1
0:1
Charter %
5.6%
2.9%
Title I %
0%
0%

Colleges & Universities

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
Institutions
170
257
In-State Tuition
$21,482
$21,053
Out-of-State
$22,727
$24,543
Grad Rate
55.4%
65.1%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicago-Joliet-Naperville or Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale more expensive?

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale is more expensive with a cost of living index of 173.0 vs 111.0 (national average = 100).

What salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale equals $70,000 in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville?

You would need to earn approximately $113,978 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale to maintain the same purchasing power as a $70,000 salary in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, after accounting for taxes, rent, and cost of living differences.

How much is rent in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale?

Average annual rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $21,372 in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville and $31,212 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale—housing is 46% more in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale.