Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD
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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
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
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,558 | -$222 | -12.5% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $388 | +$3 | +0.8% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,028 | +$81 | +8.6% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $374 | -$42 | -10.1% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $546 | -$26 | -4.5% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,302 | +$167 | +7.8% |
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 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $121,630 | +$12,240 (+11.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $101,180 | +$690 (+0.7%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $85,990 | +$3,630 (+4.4%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $133,040 | -$1,340 (-1.0%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $166,920 | -$1,890 (-1.1%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $100,920 | -$4,170 (-4.0%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $173,470 | -$290 (-0.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $104,160 | -$1,160 (-1.1%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $156,500 | -$2,190 (-1.4%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $51,990 | +$3,760 (+7.8%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,090 | $122,920 | -$170 (-0.1%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $74,590 | -$27,760 (-27.1%) | 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Relocation FAQs
About $95,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 119.9 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $95,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 119.9 in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 4.7% lower in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.