Chicago, IL → Charleston, WV
Moving to Charleston costs you $144 a month
−$1,728 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Chicago | Charleston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $6,879 | −$1,329 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,603 | −$527 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,277 | −$802 |
| Rent | $1,828 | $1,052 | −$776 |
| Getting around | $392 | $574 | +$182 |
| Groceries | $408 | $390 | −$18 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $439 | −$20 |
| Utilities | $255 | $244 | −$11 |
| Everything else | $357 | $342 | −$15 |
| Left over | $2,380 | $2,236 | −$144 |
To break even in Charleston, you'd need to earn
$85,000
Household gross, versus $98,500 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Chicago does now.
The tax difference alone
+$1,598
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.9% in Chicago, 23.3% in Charleston.
More about Charleston
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Charleston, WV in full
State income tax topping out at 4.82%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,252 and 188 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Charleston on Charleston wages.
Charleston → Chicago →Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.