

Chicago vs Fayetteville
$26/mo less in Fayetteville
ChicagoFayettevilleAbout 514 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Fayetteville costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,400/mo in Fayetteville. $2,426/mo in Chicago. −$312 a year.
Chicago
$2,426
left each month
Fayetteville
$2,400
−$26 vs Chicago
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 131 households moved Chicago → Fayetteville (avg AGI $134,313). 109 went the other way. The whole move →
−$26 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Chicago | Fayetteville | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,208 | $7,036 | −$1,173 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,130 | $1,644 | −$486 |
| Take-home pay | $6,079 | $5,392 | −$687 |
| Rent | $1,782 | $1,145 | −$637 |
| Getting around | $392 | $542 | +$150 |
| Groceries | $408 | $360 | −$48 |
| Healthcare | $459 | $405 | −$54 |
| Utilities | $255 | $225 | −$30 |
| Everything else | $357 | $315 | −$42 |
| Left over | $2,426 | $2,400 | −$26 |
Salary to match Chicago
$85,000
Gross pay in Fayetteville that leaves the same amount as $98,500 in Chicago.
Tax difference
+$1,658
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.9% in Chicago, 23.4% in Fayetteville.
More about Fayetteville
Chicago, IL in full
World-class city amenities at Midwest home prices, funded by 2.1% property tax.
Fayetteville, AR in full
Ozark trails, corporate headquarters, and a 21-minute commute.
The other way
Start in Fayetteville.
Fayetteville → Chicago →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Fayetteville than Chicago?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Fayetteville leaves about $26 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,145 in Fayetteville.
Does Fayetteville have state income tax?
Fayetteville is in Arkansas, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Chicago to Fayetteville?
The paycheck is taxed in Arkansas. 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 Fayetteville 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.