Relocation: Dubuque, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
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 Dubuque, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
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.
Dubuque, IA
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Dubuque (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $891 | $1,780 | +$889 | +99.8% |
| Food & Groceries | $357 | $385 | +$28 | +7.8% |
| Transportation | $1,088 | $947 | -$141 | -13.0% |
| Healthcare | $393 | $416 | +$23 | +5.9% |
| Other Necessities | $335 | $572 | +$237 | +70.7% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,997 | $2,135 | +$138 | +6.9% |
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 | Dubuque Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $92,530 | $109,390 | +$16,860 (+18.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $76,790 | $100,490 | +$23,700 (+30.9%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $126,980 | $168,810 | +$41,830 (+32.9%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $74,140 | $82,360 | +$8,220 (+11.1%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $105,360 | $134,380 | +$29,020 (+27.5%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $73,960 | $105,090 | +$31,130 (+42.1%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $130,980 | $158,690 | +$27,710 (+21.2%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $136,670 | $173,760 | +$37,090 (+27.1%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $49,800 | $48,230 | -$1,570 (-3.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $104,690 | $105,320 | +$630 (+0.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $62,110 | $102,350 | +$40,240 (+64.8%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $127,280 | $165,340 | +$38,060 (+29.9%) | 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
Dubuque, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $134,800. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (93.3 in Dubuque, IA, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Dubuque, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Dubuque, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same salary. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Dubuque, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $134,800. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (93.3 in Dubuque, IA, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 34.8% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Dubuque, IA. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.