Detroit, MI → Chicago, IL
Moving to Chicago costs you $119 a month
−$1,428 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Detroit | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,625 | $8,170 | +$545 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,049 | $2,116 | +$67 |
| Take-home pay | $5,576 | $6,053 | +$477 |
| Rent | $1,194 | $1,828 | +$634 |
| Getting around | $560 | $392 | −$168 |
| Groceries | $372 | $408 | +$36 |
| Healthcare | $419 | $459 | +$40 |
| Utilities | $233 | $255 | +$22 |
| Everything else | $326 | $357 | +$31 |
| Left over | $2,473 | $2,354 | −$119 |
To break even in Chicago, you'd need to earn
$100,000
Household gross, versus $91,500 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Detroit does now.
The tax difference alone
+$1,131
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 26.9% in Detroit, 25.9% in Chicago.
Detroit, MI in full
Engineering wages against some of the cheapest urban housing in America.
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Chicago on Chicago wages.
Chicago → Detroit →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.