Cost of Living: Chicago, IL vs San Francisco, CA
Chicago is about 10% cheaper than San Francisco overall.
Comparing Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA across cost of living, rent, income, and the salary needed to live comfortably. Chicago has a lower overall price level, driven mainly by housing.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | Chicago | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 103.6 | 115.6 |
| Median rent | $1,380 | $2,419 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom (FMR) | $1,581 | $2,385 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom (FMR) | $1,781 | $2,912 |
| Median home value | $315,200 | $1,380,500 |
| Median household income | $75,134 | $141,446 |
| Salary needed (single) | $63,200 | $95,400 |
| Salary needed (family) | $91,800 | $149,000 |
Green highlights the more favorable value for each metric. Lower is better for costs; higher is better for income. Figures are estimates from public data (BEA, Census, HUD).
Which City Is More Affordable?
Overall, Chicago is the more affordable of the two, with a cost-of-living index of 103.6 versus 115.6 for San Francisco. The biggest difference is usually housing, where rents in San Francisco run noticeably higher.
You can read the full breakdown for each city on its own page: cost of living in Chicago and cost of living in San Francisco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Chicago or San Francisco?
Chicago is about 10% cheaper than San Francisco overall, based on the BEA cost-of-living index (Chicago: 103.6 vs San Francisco: 115.6).
What is the rent difference between Chicago and San Francisco?
The median rent is $1,380 in Chicago and $2,419 in San Francisco.
How much salary do you need in Chicago vs San Francisco?
A single person needs about $63,200 in Chicago and $95,400 in San Francisco to live comfortably.
Data Sources
Cost-of-living index from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities). Income, rent, and home value from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-Year). Fair Market Rents from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.