Relocation: Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, 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.
Iowa City, 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 | Iowa City (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,002 | $1,780 | +$778 | +77.6% |
| Food & Groceries | $371 | $385 | +$14 | +3.8% |
| Transportation | $1,063 | $947 | -$116 | -10.9% |
| Healthcare | $397 | $416 | +$19 | +4.8% |
| Other Necessities | $369 | $572 | +$203 | +55.0% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,008 | $2,135 | +$127 | +6.3% |
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 | Iowa City Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $81,120 | $109,390 | +$28,270 (+34.8%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $85,940 | $100,490 | +$14,550 (+16.9%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $75,100 | $82,360 | +$7,260 (+9.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $132,220 | $168,810 | +$36,590 (+27.7%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $107,680 | $134,380 | +$26,700 (+24.8%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $84,100 | $105,090 | +$20,990 (+25.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $126,520 | $158,690 | +$32,170 (+25.4%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $134,210 | $173,760 | +$39,550 (+29.5%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $49,270 | $48,230 | -$1,040 (-2.1%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $96,820 | $105,320 | +$8,500 (+8.8%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,510 | $102,350 | +$42,840 (+72.0%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $118,850 | $165,340 | +$46,490 (+39.1%) | 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
Iowa City, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $128,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (97.6 in Iowa City, IA, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Iowa City, IA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Iowa City, 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.
Quick answers
About $128,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (97.6 in Iowa City, 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 28.9% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Iowa City, IA. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.