Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Lexington-Fayette, KY
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 Lexington-Fayette, KY.
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
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Lexington-Fayette (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,205 | -$575 | -32.3% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $343 | -$42 | -10.9% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,030 | +$83 | +8.8% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $444 | +$28 | +6.7% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $354 | -$218 | -38.1% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,246 | +$111 | +5.2% |
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 | Lexington-Fayette Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $80,440 | -$28,950 (-26.5%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $79,040 | -$21,450 (-21.3%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $77,780 | -$4,580 (-5.6%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $135,760 | -$33,050 (-19.6%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $123,510 | -$10,870 (-8.1%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $99,190 | -$5,900 (-5.6%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $124,860 | -$33,830 (-21.3%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $144,160 | -$29,600 (-17.0%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $44,340 | -$3,890 (-8.1%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $84,520 | -$20,800 (-19.7%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $57,320 | -$45,030 (-44.0%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,090 | $109,890 | -$13,200 (-10.7%) | 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY Relocation FAQs
About $77,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 96.9 in Lexington-Fayette, KY, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Lexington-Fayette, KY: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Lexington-Fayette, KY: 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $77,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 96.9 in Lexington-Fayette, KY, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 23.0% lower in Lexington-Fayette, KY than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.