Chicago vs New York, LA, Boston, SF: Cost of Living 2026

Key takeaway: A one-bedroom in Chicago had a median rent of $2,200 in September 2026, half of New York’s $4,580 and San Francisco’s $4,400, and about $800 less than Boston, while Chicago’s median household income of $90,770 keeps rent near 29% of income.

Chicago gives you big-city jobs, culture, transit and a lakefront for a lot less than the coastal cities. Here’s how the main costs compare with New York, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco, with sources for every number.

Rent

City	Median 1 bedroom	Median 2 bedrooms	National rank (most expensive = 1)
New York	$4,580	$5,450	1
San Francisco	$4,400	$6,340	2
Boston	$3,000	$3,530	3
Los Angeles	$2,300	$2,930	9
Chicago	$2,200	$2,530	13

Source: Zumper National Rent Report, September 2026 data. Zumper’s national median one-bedroom was $1,518.

Rent compared with income

Metro area	Median household income (2024)	Median 1 bedroom rent as a share of income
Chicago	$90,770	29%
Los Angeles	$96,405	29%
Boston	$117,825	31%
San Francisco	$135,590	39%
New York	$99,852	55%

Source: median household income for each metro area from the Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024; rent from Zumper above. The share is our calculation: one-bedroom rent times 12, divided by income. Income is for the whole metro area and rent is for the city, so treat this as a rough comparison.

Overall price level

Metro area	Regional price parity, 2024 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago	103.6
New York	112.6
Los Angeles	113.6
San Francisco	115.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities, released February 2026 (BEA), via FRED. A value of 103.6 means prices in the Chicago area run about 3.6% above the national average, compared with 12.6% to 15.6% above in the coastal metros. The Boston figure was not available when we checked.

Taxes

City	State income tax	Combined sales tax
Chicago	4.95% flat	10.5%
New York	3.9% to 10.9%, plus New York City income tax	8.875%
Los Angeles	1% to 12.3% (13.3% over $1 million)	10.25% in most of L.A. County since Oct. 1, 2026
San Francisco	1% to 12.3% (13.3% over $1 million)	8.625%
Boston	5%, plus 4% on income over about $1.1 million	6.25%

Source: Illinois Department of Revenue; New York rates from the Tax Foundation; California Franchise Tax Board; Massachusetts Department of Revenue; sales tax from New York State, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (San Francisco rate), Massachusetts and our Chicago sales tax guide. Chicago’s sales tax is among the highest, but Illinois’ flat income tax is lower than the top rates in New York and California for most middle and higher earners, and Illinois doesn’t tax retirement income.

Transit

City	Single ride	Unlimited option
Chicago (CTA)	$2.50 train, $2.25 bus	$75 for 30 days
New York (MTA)	$3.00	Weekly fare cap of $35
Los Angeles (Metro)	$1.75	$18 weekly fare cap
Boston (MBTA)	$2.40 subway, $1.70 bus	$90 monthly LinkPass
San Francisco (Muni)	$2.85 with Clipper	$86 monthly M Pass

Source: CTA, MTA, LA Metro, MBTA and SFMTA, checked October 2026. See CTA fares for every Chicago option.

What it adds up to

On rent alone, a Chicagoan with a median one-bedroom pays $28,560 a year less than a New Yorker and $26,400 less than a San Franciscan, and $9,600 less than someone in Boston (our calculation from the Zumper medians). To see what salary covers your own budget here, use our Chicago salary calculator, and compare neighborhoods in our neighborhood cost comparison.

Chicago vs. New York, LA, Boston and San Francisco: cost of living (2026)