Braidwood, IL vs Pittsburgh, PA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Pittsburgh, PA has a modeled overall cost index 3.5% lower than Braidwood, IL.

Braidwood, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,510 / month
Pittsburgh, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,050 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Braidwood, IL and Pittsburgh, PA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Braidwood, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $383/month in Pittsburgh, PA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $145,403 in Pittsburgh, PA

Regional cost estimates: Braidwood, IL uses Chicago, IL. Pittsburgh, PA uses Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 3.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$383

Savings

Annual Impact

$4.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Braidwood, IL

Population:6K

Cost Index:

92.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$271K

Pittsburgh, PA

Population:303K

Cost Index:

89.0

100 = national average

Planning the move to Pittsburgh?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Braidwood, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 6K residents.

Pittsburgh, PA

The Keystone State

303K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 303K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Braidwood, IL vs Pittsburgh, PA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Braidwood, IL	Pittsburgh, PA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,430/mo	$2,012/mo	↓ $418less	17.2%
Transportation	$1,479/mo	$1,255/mo	↓ $224less	15.2%
All Utilities	$495/mo	$626/mo	↑ $131more	26.5%
Other	$1,548/mo	$1,659/mo	↑ $111more	7.2%
Groceries	$981/mo	$1,021/mo	↑ $39.98more	4.1%
Healthcare	$567/mo	$544/mo	↓ $23.40less	4.1%

Housing

↓ 17.2%

Braidwood, IL

$2,430

Pittsburgh, PA

$2,012

Difference

$418

less

Transportation

↓ 15.2%

Braidwood, IL

$1,479

Pittsburgh, PA

$1,255

Difference

$224

less

All Utilities

↑ 26.5%

Braidwood, IL

$495

Pittsburgh, PA

$626

Difference

$131

Other

↑ 7.2%

Braidwood, IL

$1,548

Pittsburgh, PA

$1,659

Difference

$111

Groceries

↑ 4.1%

Braidwood, IL

$981

Pittsburgh, PA

$1,021

Difference

$39.98

Healthcare

↓ 4.1%

Braidwood, IL

$567

Pittsburgh, PA

$544

Difference

$23.40

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Earned Income Tax$4,500/yr (3.0%)

Braidwood, IL has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,250

To$750

↓ $500

1 Bed

From$1,340

To$850

↓ $490

2 Bed

From$1,510

To$1,050

↓ $460

3 Bed

From$1,940

To$1,400

↓ $540

Braidwood, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,340–$1,340/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Braidwood, IL

$7,117

Monthly in Pittsburgh, PA

$383

Difference

Home Values

Braidwood

Pittsburgh

$271K

Median Value

↑ +5.4%

YoY Change

↑ +47.1%

5-Year Change

Calculate payment - Braidwood

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $2.8K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$235

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.9%

Rate difference

Braidwood, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Pittsburgh, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Additional Tax Information

Braidwood, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Pittsburgh, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Braidwood, IL: No data yet

Pittsburgh, PA

38/100

3.1% sidewalk tags · 2.4% cycling tags

Environment

Braidwood

Pittsburgh

54 Moderate

Air Quality

52 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

47.8%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

Before moving from Braidwood, IL to Pittsburgh, PA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Pittsburgh, PA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Braidwood, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Braidwood to Pittsburgh moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Pittsburgh, PA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Braidwood, IL vs Pittsburgh, PA

How do the cost estimates for Braidwood, IL and Pittsburgh, PA compare?

Pittsburgh, PA has a modeled overall cost index 3.5% lower than Braidwood, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Braidwood, IL, the model estimates $145,403 in Pittsburgh, PA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Braidwood, IL and Pittsburgh, PA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,510/month in Braidwood, IL and $1,050/month in Pittsburgh, PA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Pennsylvania on TaxTakeHome.com