Chicago, IL → Great Falls, MT
Moving to Great Falls costs you $202 a month
−$2,424 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Chicago | Great Falls | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $6,903 | −$1,306 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,662 | −$468 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,241 | −$838 |
| Rent | $1,828 | $1,086 | −$742 |
| Getting around | $392 | $583 | +$191 |
| Groceries | $408 | $385 | −$23 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $433 | −$26 |
| Utilities | $255 | $241 | −$14 |
| Everything else | $357 | $337 | −$20 |
| Left over | $2,380 | $2,178 | −$202 |
To break even in Great Falls, you'd need to earn
$86,500
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
+$966
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.9% in Chicago, 24.1% in Great Falls.
More about Great Falls
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Great Falls, MT in full
State income tax topping out at 5.9%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,293 and 197 sunny days; commutes average 17 minutes.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Great Falls on Great Falls wages.
Great Falls → 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.