Relocation: Baltimore-Columbia, MD 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 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.
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
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 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,625 | $1,780 | +$155 | +9.5% |
| Food & Groceries | $384 | $385 | +$1 | +0.3% |
| Transportation | $1,036 | $947 | -$89 | -8.6% |
| Healthcare | $358 | $416 | +$58 | +16.2% |
| Other Necessities | $556 | $572 | +$16 | +2.9% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,350 | $2,135 | -$215 | -9.1% |
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 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $117,040 | $109,390 | -$7,650 (-6.5%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,550 | $100,490 | +$940 (+0.9%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $138,900 | $134,380 | -$4,520 (-3.3%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,160 | $82,360 | -$2,800 (-3.3%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $157,990 | $168,810 | +$10,820 (+6.8%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $117,750 | $105,090 | -$12,660 (-10.8%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $103,720 | $105,320 | +$1,600 (+1.5%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $168,520 | $173,760 | +$5,240 (+3.1%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,910 | $158,690 | +$22,780 (+16.8%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $60,750 | $48,230 | -$12,520 (-20.6%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $124,990 | $123,090 | -$1,900 (-1.5%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $65,590 | $102,350 | +$36,760 (+56.0%) | 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
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $102,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (123.3 in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 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: Baltimore-Columbia, MD to Chicago Metro, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $102,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (123.3 in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, 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 2.0% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.