Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Fort Collins Metro, 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, 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
Fort Collins-Loveland, 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) | Fort Collins-Loveland (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,589 | -$191 | -10.7% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $389 | +$4 | +1.0% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,093 | +$146 | +15.4% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $454 | +$38 | +9.1% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $566 | -$6 | -1.0% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,043 | -$92 | -4.3% |
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 | Fort Collins-Loveland Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $105,770 | -$3,620 (-3.3%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $97,600 | -$2,890 (-2.9%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $89,340 | +$6,980 (+8.5%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $133,990 | -$390 (-0.3%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $175,890 | +$7,080 (+4.2%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $198,550 | +$39,860 (+25.1%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $195,190 | +$21,430 (+12.3%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $56,740 | +$8,510 (+17.6%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $101,310 | -$4,010 (-3.8%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $61,410 | -$40,940 (-40.0%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $165,340 | $189,690 | +$24,350 (+14.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial AnalystFinance | Finance | $101,750 | $101,610 | -$140 (-0.1%) | 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO Relocation FAQs
About $102,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 129.4 in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Fort Collins-Loveland, CO: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Fort Collins-Loveland, 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 Fort Collins Metro, CO compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $102,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 129.4 in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 2.9% higher in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.