Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Memphis, TN-MS-AR
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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
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
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Memphis (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,191 | -$589 | -33.1% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $362 | -$23 | -6.0% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,039 | +$92 | +9.7% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $487 | +$71 | +17.1% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $456 | -$116 | -20.3% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $1,735 | -$400 | -18.7% |
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 | Memphis Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $102,510 | -$6,880 (-6.3%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $81,500 | -$18,990 (-18.9%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $76,960 | -$5,400 (-6.6%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $143,880 | -$24,930 (-14.8%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $125,580 | -$8,800 (-6.5%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $94,980 | -$10,110 (-9.6%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $128,560 | -$30,130 (-19.0%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $161,790 | -$11,970 (-6.9%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $44,910 | -$3,320 (-6.9%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $85,130 | -$20,190 (-19.2%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $60,890 | -$41,460 (-40.5%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,090 | $112,800 | -$10,290 (-8.4%) | 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
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Memphis, TN-MS-AR Relocation FAQs
About $84,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 106.9 in Memphis, TN-MS-AR, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Memphis, TN-MS-AR: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Memphis, TN-MS-AR: 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $84,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 106.9 in Memphis, TN-MS-AR, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 15.1% lower in Memphis, TN-MS-AR than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.