Relocation: St. Louis, MO-IL 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 St. Louis, MO-IL 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.
St. Louis, MO-IL
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 | St. Louis (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,104 | $1,780 | +$676 | +61.2% |
| Food & Groceries | $373 | $385 | +$12 | +3.2% |
| Transportation | $1,018 | $947 | -$71 | -7.0% |
| Healthcare | $427 | $416 | -$11 | -2.6% |
| Other Necessities | $411 | $572 | +$161 | +39.2% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,124 | $2,135 | +$11 | +0.5% |
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 | St. Louis Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $93,140 | $109,390 | +$16,250 (+17.4%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $83,180 | $100,490 | +$17,310 (+20.8%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $78,880 | $82,360 | +$3,480 (+4.4%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,030 | $134,380 | +$5,350 (+4.1%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $158,780 | $168,810 | +$10,030 (+6.3%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $101,100 | $105,090 | +$3,990 (+3.9%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $100,510 | $105,320 | +$4,810 (+4.8%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $167,130 | $173,760 | +$6,630 (+4.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,870 | $158,690 | +$34,820 (+28.1%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $51,790 | $48,230 | -$3,560 (-6.9%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $77,170 | $102,350 | +$25,180 (+32.6%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $106,200 | $123,090 | +$16,890 (+15.9%) | 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
St. Louis, MO-IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $122,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (102.3 in St. Louis, MO-IL, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
St. Louis, MO-IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
St. Louis, MO-IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: St. Louis, MO-IL 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 $122,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (102.3 in St. Louis, MO-IL, 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 22.9% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in St. Louis, MO-IL. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.