Cost of Living: Leander, TX vs Chicago, IL

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Leander, TX versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 27.17% of gross in Leander, TX versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Chicago, IL tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Leander, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Chicago, IL
$4,227/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Leander, TX
27.17%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Chicago, IL
20.28%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Leander, TX and Chicago, IL.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Chicago, IL
  • Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
  • Higher median household income: Leander, TX

Cost of Living Index

Leander, TX: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)

Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Leander, TX, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Leander, TX: $1,772/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo

Median rent in Leander, TX is $449/mo higher than in Chicago, IL.

Median Home Price

Leander, TX: $470,700 · Chicago, IL: $147,800

Median home price in Leander, TX is $322,900 higher than in Chicago, IL.

Median Household Income

Leander, TX: $140,180 · Chicago, IL: $56,815

Leander, TX has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $83,365.

Leander, TX overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons