Chicago, IL vs Wichita, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Wichita, KS has a modeled overall cost index 20.4% lower than Chicago, IL.

Chicago, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,925 / month
Wichita, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $1,110 / 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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Chicago, IL and Wichita, KS 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 Chicago, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,693/month in Wichita, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $129,678 in Wichita, KS

Regional cost estimates: Chicago, IL uses Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Area. Wichita, KS uses Wichita, KS Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 20.4%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,693

Savings

Annual Impact

$20.3K

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.

Chicago, IL

Population:2746K

Cost Index:

108.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$305K

Wichita, KS

Population:396K

Cost Index:

86.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$202K

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Chicago, IL

The Prairie State

2.7M

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Continental

Notable Facts

•Major transportation hub
•Architectural landmark city
•Great Lakes location

Major Industries

FinanceTechnologyManufacturingTransportation

Wichita, KS

The Sunflower State

396K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 396K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chicago, IL vs Wichita, KS

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	Chicago, IL	Wichita, KS	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,660/mo	$1,600/mo	↓ $1,059less	39.8%
Transportation	$1,457/mo	$1,043/mo	↓ $415less	28.5%
Groceries	$893/mo	$771/mo	↓ $121less	13.6%
Other	$1,524/mo	$1,423/mo	↓ $102less	6.7%
All Utilities	$450/mo	$464/mo	↑ $14.22more	3.2%
Healthcare	$516/mo	$505/mo	↓ $10.75less	2.1%

Housing

↓ 39.8%

Chicago, IL

$2,660

Wichita, KS

$1,600

Difference

$1,059

less

Transportation

↓ 28.5%

Chicago, IL

$1,457

Wichita, KS

$1,043

Difference

$415

less

Groceries

↓ 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$893

Wichita, KS

$771

Difference

$121

less

Other

↓ 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$1,524

Wichita, KS

$1,423

Difference

$102

less

All Utilities

↑ 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$450

Wichita, KS

$464

Difference

$14.22

Healthcare

↓ 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$516

Wichita, KS

$505

Difference

$10.75

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,600

To$790

↓ $810

1 Bed

From$1,710

To$855

↓ $855

2 Bed

From$1,925

To$1,110

↓ $815

3 Bed

From$2,480

To$1,455

↓ $1,025

Chicago, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,140–$2,370/mo

Wichita, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $680–$1,280/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 Chicago, IL

$5,807

Monthly in Wichita, KS

$1,693

Difference

Home Values

Chicago

Wichita

$305K

Median Value

$202K

↑ +1.8%

YoY Change

↑ +0.2%

↑ +10.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +40.5%

$116K - $611K

Price Range

$86K - $424K

Homes in Wichita are 34% less expensive than Chicago

Calculate payment - Chicago Calculate payment - Wichita

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $993

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$82.75

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Chicago, 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

Wichita, KS

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kansas State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,714/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Chicago, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Wichita, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%

Property Tax:1.3%

💡 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

Chicago, IL

43/100

0.7% sidewalk tags · 3.1% cycling tags

Wichita, KS

26/100

0.1% sidewalk tags · 0.3% cycling tags

Environment

Chicago

Wichita

54 Moderate

Air Quality

43 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

75.1%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

61 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

61 days

Before moving from Chicago, IL to Wichita, KS

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Wichita, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Chicago, 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 Chicago to Wichita moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Chicago, IL vs Wichita, KS

How do the cost estimates for Chicago, IL and Wichita, KS compare?

Wichita, KS has a modeled overall cost index 20.4% lower than Chicago, 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 Chicago, IL, the model estimates $129,678 in Wichita, KS. 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 Chicago, IL and Wichita, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,925/month in Chicago, IL and $1,110/month in Wichita, KS. 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 Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com