Chicago, IL → Lima, OH
Moving to Lima costs you $57 a month
−$684 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Chicago | Lima | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $6,747 | −$1,462 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,562 | −$568 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,184 | −$894 |
| Rent | $1,828 | $914 | −$914 |
| Getting around | $392 | $589 | +$197 |
| Groceries | $408 | $375 | −$33 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $422 | −$37 |
| Utilities | $255 | $234 | −$21 |
| Everything else | $357 | $328 | −$29 |
| Left over | $2,380 | $2,323 | −$57 |
To break even in Lima, you'd need to earn
$82,000
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
+$1,609
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.9% in Chicago, 23.2% in Lima.
More about Lima
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Lima, OH in full
State income tax topping out at 3.5%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,088 and 183 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Lima on Lima wages.
Lima → 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.