Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Denver-Aurora, CO
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
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.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Denver-Aurora-Centennial (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,831 | +$51 | +2.9% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $384 | -$1 | -0.3% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,047 | +$100 | +10.6% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $436 | +$20 | +4.8% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $628 | +$56 | +9.8% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,048 | -$87 | -4.1% |
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 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Denver-Aurora-Centennial Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $142,330 | +$32,940 (+30.1%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $101,130 | +$640 (+0.6%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $137,610 | +$3,230 (+2.4%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $100,020 | +$17,660 (+21.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $193,400 | +$24,590 (+14.6%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $102,620 | -$2,470 (-2.4%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $116,740 | +$11,420 (+10.8%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $203,340 | +$29,580 (+17.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $181,580 | +$22,890 (+14.4%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $63,150 | -$39,200 (-38.3%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $58,430 | +$10,200 (+21.1%) | View Dossier |
| Financial AnalystFinance | Finance | $101,750 | $104,480 | +$2,730 (+2.7%) | 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
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Relocation FAQs
About $109,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 137.1 in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Denver-Aurora, CO compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $109,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 137.1 in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 9.0% higher in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.