

Chicago vs Spokane
$175/mo more in Spokane
ChicagoSpokaneAbout 1,512 miles apart, a flight.
- Spokane leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,601/mo in Spokane. $2,426/mo in Chicago. +$2,100 a year.
Chicago
$2,426
left each month
Spokane
$2,601
+$175 vs Chicago
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 32 households moved Chicago → Spokane (avg AGI $62,969). 32 went the other way. The whole move →
+$175 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Chicago | Spokane | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $7,114 | −$1,094 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,410 | −$719 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,703 | −$375 |
| Rent | $1,782 | $1,187 | −$595 |
| Getting around | $392 | $538 | +$146 |
| Groceries | $408 | $380 | −$28 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $428 | −$31 |
| Utilities | $255 | $238 | −$17 |
| Everything else | $357 | $333 | −$24 |
| Left over | $2,426 | $2,601 | +$175 |
Salary to match Chicago
$82,500
Gross pay in Spokane that leaves the same amount as $98,500 in Chicago.
Tax difference
+$4,738
A year, in state and local income tax. Washington has no wage income tax.
More about Spokane
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Spokane, WA in full
No income tax, real seasons, and Seattle's outdoors without Seattle's rent.
The other way
Start in Spokane.
Spokane → Chicago →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Spokane than Chicago?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Spokane leaves about $175 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,187 in Spokane.
Does Spokane have state income tax?
Spokane is in Washington, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Chicago to Spokane?
The paycheck is taxed in Washington. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Chicago and Spokane changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.