Relocation: Albany-Schenectady, NY to Chicago Metro, IL-IN
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Albany-Schenectady-Troy (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,425 | $1,780 | +$355 | +24.9% |
| Food & Groceries | $376 | $385 | +$9 | +2.4% |
| Transportation | $1,066 | $947 | -$119 | -11.2% |
| Healthcare | $585 | $416 | -$169 | -28.9% |
| Other Necessities | $450 | $572 | +$122 | +27.1% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,140 | $2,135 | -$5 | -0.2% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Albany-Schenectady-Troy Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $111,130 | $109,390 | -$1,740 (-1.6%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,970 | $100,490 | +$520 (+0.5%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $84,660 | $82,360 | -$2,300 (-2.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $150,590 | $168,810 | +$18,220 (+12.1%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $127,910 | $134,380 | +$6,470 (+5.1%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $83,690 | $105,090 | +$21,400 (+25.6%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,250 | $173,760 | +$15,510 (+9.8%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $163,510 | $158,690 | -$4,820 (-2.9%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $62,470 | $48,230 | -$14,240 (-22.8%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $109,850 | $105,320 | -$4,530 (-4.1%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $74,890 | $102,350 | +$27,460 (+36.7%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $121,470 | $123,090 | +$1,620 (+1.3%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $107,800. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (116.8 in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Albany-Schenectady, NY to Chicago Metro, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $107,800. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (116.8 in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 7.8% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.