Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Chicago Metro, 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 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.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
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 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,261 | $1,780 | +$519 | +41.2% |
| Food & Groceries | $321 | $385 | +$64 | +19.9% |
| Transportation | $1,015 | $947 | -$68 | -6.7% |
| Healthcare | $422 | $416 | -$6 | -1.4% |
| Other Necessities | $480 | $572 | +$92 | +19.2% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $2,135 | +$400 | +23.1% |
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 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $119,600 | $109,390 | -$10,210 (-8.5%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,830 | $100,490 | +$660 (+0.7%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,090 | $82,360 | -$2,730 (-3.2%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,440 | $134,380 | +$4,940 (+3.8%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $166,910 | $168,810 | +$1,900 (+1.1%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $99,510 | $105,320 | +$5,810 (+5.8%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $101,120 | $105,090 | +$3,970 (+3.9%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,880 | $158,690 | +$22,810 (+16.8%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $46,630 | $48,230 | +$1,600 (+3.4%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $172,160 | $173,760 | +$1,600 (+0.9%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,180 | $102,350 | +$43,170 (+72.9%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $103,530 | $117,280 | +$13,750 (+13.3%) | 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
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $117,200. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Chicago Metro, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $117,200. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 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 17.2% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.