Median rent is 29% lower in Chicago ($1,440/mo vs $2,037/mo). Buying is cheaper in Chicago, where the median home runs $334,100 versus $412,300. Households earn more in Buffalo Grove ($129,395 vs $77,902 a year).
City A
Buffalo Grove, IL
City B
Chicago, IL
How much would you need to earn in Chicago, IL to maintain your standard of living from Buffalo Grove, IL?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Buffalo Grove
Illinois
Chicago
Illinois
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Chicago — median rent of $1,440/mo versus $2,037/mo in Buffalo Grove, a 29% difference. Median home values are within 19% of each other: $412,300 in Buffalo Grove and $334,100 in Chicago.
Metric
Buffalo Grove
Chicago
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Buffalo Grove
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Chicago
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Chicago (avg AQI 31.0) but not yet for Buffalo Grove.
Pick Buffalo Grove if you prioritize higher median household income ($129,395/yr).
Pick Chicago if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,440/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $2,037/mo in Buffalo Grove, IL and $1,440/mo in Chicago, IL. Chicago, IL has the lower rent by about 29%.
Median household income is $129,395 in Buffalo Grove, IL and $77,902 in Chicago, IL. Buffalo Grove, IL has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
