Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Wausau, WI
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 Wausau, WI.
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
Wausau, WI
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Wausau (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $940 | -$840 | -47.2% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $350 | -$35 | -9.1% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,134 | +$187 | +19.7% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $497 | +$81 | +19.5% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $333 | -$239 | -41.8% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,104 | -$31 | -1.5% |
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 | Wausau Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $107,550 | -$1,840 (-1.7%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $89,190 | -$11,300 (-11.2%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $77,680 | -$4,680 (-5.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $131,320 | -$37,490 (-22.2%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $98,650 | -$35,730 (-26.6%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $92,370 | -$12,720 (-12.1%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $123,230 | -$35,460 (-22.3%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $129,620 | -$44,140 (-25.4%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $50,250 | +$2,020 (+4.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $88,940 | -$16,380 (-15.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $78,680 | -$23,670 (-23.1%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $165,340 | $141,150 | -$24,190 (-14.6%) | 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 Wausau, WI Relocation FAQs
About $77,600. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 97.7 in Wausau, WI, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Wausau, WI: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Wausau, WI: 2026 federal, state and local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs compared on the same salary. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Wausau, WI compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $77,600. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 97.7 in Wausau, WI, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 22.4% lower in Wausau, WI than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.