San Jose, CA → Chicago, IL
Moving from San Jose to Chicago
You'd keep $438 more a month in Chicago. +$5,256 a year.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 508 households moved San Jose → Chicago (about 754 people, average AGI $196,004). 742 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
| Per month | San Jose | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $7,501 | $6,075 |
| Rent | $2,990 | $1,828 |
| All other costs | $2,573 | $1,871 |
| Left over | $1,938 | $2,376 |
Full line-by-line comparison →
What the move itself costs
About 2,173 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $4,400–$8,300
- Container or pod
- $3,150–$5,950
- Rent a truck
- $2,000–$3,750
Dig into Chicago
Paycheck
Take-home pay after tax and rent, and what's left at the end of the month.
Who moved
Which metros people actually left and arrived from, according to IRS tax returns.
Rent vs buy
Asking rent, the median home, property tax, and months to a down payment.
Monthly costs
Groceries, getting around, utilities, healthcare and childcare at your household size.
Daily life
Homicide and firearm death rates, heat, cars and commute.
Kids
Public-school enrollment, pupil–teacher ratio, bedrooms and childcare.
Getting there
What the move itself costs from where you live now, and how to find a mover you can trust.