Relocation: Portland Metro, ME 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 Portland-South Portland, ME 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.
Portland-South Portland, ME
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 | Portland-South Portland (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,864 | $1,780 | -$84 | -4.5% |
| Food & Groceries | $403 | $385 | -$18 | -4.5% |
| Transportation | $1,069 | $947 | -$122 | -11.4% |
| Healthcare | $518 | $416 | -$102 | -19.7% |
| Other Necessities | $553 | $572 | +$19 | +3.4% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,162 | $2,135 | -$27 | -1.2% |
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 | Portland-South Portland Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $105,390 | $109,390 | +$4,000 (+3.8%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $88,470 | $100,490 | +$12,020 (+13.6%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $79,790 | $82,360 | +$2,570 (+3.2%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $138,590 | $168,810 | +$30,220 (+21.8%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $128,710 | $134,380 | +$5,670 (+4.4%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $75,530 | $105,090 | +$29,560 (+39.1%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $167,100 | $173,760 | +$6,660 (+4.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $174,990 | $158,690 | -$16,300 (-9.3%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $60,860 | $48,230 | -$12,630 (-20.8%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,530 | $105,320 | -$210 (-0.2%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $71,660 | $102,350 | +$30,690 (+42.8%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,380 | $165,340 | +$29,960 (+22.1%) | 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
Portland-South Portland, ME to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $96,400. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (130.5 in Portland-South Portland, ME, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Portland-South Portland, ME to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Portland-South Portland, ME to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Portland Metro, ME to Chicago Metro, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $96,400. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (130.5 in Portland-South Portland, ME, 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 3.6% lower in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Portland-South Portland, ME. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.