Relocation: Boston-Newton, MA 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
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 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $2,518 | $1,780 | -$738 | -29.3% |
| Food & Groceries | $418 | $385 | -$33 | -7.9% |
| Transportation | $1,080 | $947 | -$133 | -12.3% |
| Healthcare | $413 | $416 | +$3 | +0.7% |
| Other Necessities | $832 | $572 | -$260 | -31.3% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,133 | $2,135 | +$2 | +0.1% |
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 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $133,800 | $109,390 | -$24,410 (-18.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $106,180 | $100,490 | -$5,690 (-5.4%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $166,090 | $134,380 | -$31,710 (-19.1%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $100,150 | $82,360 | -$17,790 (-17.8%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $135,640 | $105,090 | -$30,550 (-22.5%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $209,780 | $168,810 | -$40,970 (-19.5%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $214,960 | $173,760 | -$41,200 (-19.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $114,990 | $105,320 | -$9,670 (-8.4%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $206,610 | $158,690 | -$47,920 (-23.2%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $79,910 | $102,350 | +$22,440 (+28.1%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $58,210 | $48,230 | -$9,980 (-17.1%) | View Dossier |
| Financial AnalystFinance | Finance | $117,520 | $101,750 | -$15,770 (-13.4%) | 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
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $77,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (162.7 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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: Boston-Newton, MA to Chicago Metro, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $77,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (162.7 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 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 22.7% lower in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.