Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Great Falls, MT
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 Great Falls, MT.
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
Great Falls, MT
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Great Falls (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,000 | -$780 | -43.8% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $344 | -$41 | -10.6% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,022 | +$75 | +7.9% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $459 | +$43 | +10.3% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $387 | -$185 | -32.3% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,092 | -$43 | -2.0% |
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 | Great Falls Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $88,780 | -$20,610 (-18.8%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $78,290 | -$22,200 (-22.1%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $131,420 | -$37,390 (-22.1%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $72,510 | -$9,850 (-12.0%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $95,690 | -$9,400 (-8.9%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $111,270 | -$47,420 (-29.9%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $133,670 | -$40,090 (-23.1%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $59,900 | +$11,670 (+24.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $83,580 | -$21,740 (-20.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $76,960 | -$25,390 (-24.8%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $165,340 | $177,930 | +$12,590 (+7.6%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,090 | $103,130 | -$19,960 (-16.2%) | 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 Great Falls, MT Relocation FAQs
About $80,700. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 101.5 in Great Falls, MT, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Great Falls, MT: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Great Falls, MT: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Great Falls, MT compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $80,700. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 101.5 in Great Falls, MT, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 19.3% lower in Great Falls, MT than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.