Chicago Ridge, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Austin, TX has a modeled overall cost index 7.7% higher than Chicago Ridge, IL.

Chicago Ridge, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,490 / month
Austin, TX · modeled 2BR rent: $1,995 / 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 Ridge, IL and Austin, TX 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 Ridge, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $496/month in Austin, TX

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $155,957 in Austin, TX

Regional cost estimates: Chicago Ridge, IL uses Chicago, IL. Austin, TX uses Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$496

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$6.0K

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 Ridge, IL

Population:14K

Cost Index:

95.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$218K

Austin, TX

Population:979K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$558K

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Chicago Ridge, IL

The Prairie State

14K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 14K residents.

Austin, TX

The Lone Star State

979K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Live music capital
•Major tech hub
•SXSW festival city

Major Industries

TechnologyMusic IndustryEducationGovernment

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chicago Ridge, IL vs Austin, TX

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 Ridge, IL	Austin, TX	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,442/mo	$2,884/mo	↑ $442more	18.1%
Transportation	$1,487/mo	$1,284/mo	↓ $203less	13.7%
Other	$1,555/mo	$1,741/mo	↑ $185more	11.9%
All Utilities	$488/mo	$541/mo	↑ $52.57more	10.8%
Healthcare	$559/mo	$588/mo	↑ $29.01more	5.2%
Groceries	$968/mo	$959/mo	↓ $9.02less	0.9%

Housing

↑ 18.1%

Chicago Ridge, IL

$2,442

Austin, TX

$2,884

Difference

$442

Transportation

↓ 13.7%

Chicago Ridge, IL

$1,487

Austin, TX

$1,284

Difference

$203

less

Other

↑ 11.9%

Chicago Ridge, IL

$1,555

Austin, TX

$1,741

Difference

$185

All Utilities

↑ 10.8%

Chicago Ridge, IL

$488

Austin, TX

$541

Difference

$52.57

Healthcare

↑ 5.2%

Chicago Ridge, IL

$559

Austin, TX

$588

Difference

$29.01

Groceries

↓ 0.9%

Chicago Ridge, IL

$968

Austin, TX

$959

Difference

$9.02

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,240

To$1,585

↑ $345

1 Bed

From$1,320

To$1,685

↑ $365

2 Bed

From$1,490

To$1,995

↑ $505

3 Bed

From$1,920

To$2,525

↑ $605

Chicago Ridge, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,320–$1,320/mo

Austin, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,490–$2,350/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 Ridge, IL

$7,996

Monthly in Austin, TX

$496

Difference

Home Values

Chicago Ridge

Austin

$218K

Median Value

$558K

↓ -0.5%

YoY Change

↓ -5%

↑ +30.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +12.6%

$218K

Price Range

$272K - $1.26M

Homes in Austin are 156% more expensive than Chicago Ridge

Calculate payment - Chicago Ridge Calculate payment - Austin

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$619

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.9%

Rate difference

Chicago Ridge, 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

Austin, TX

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Texas State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Chicago Ridge, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Austin, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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 Ridge, IL: No data yet

Austin, TX

35/100

2.8% sidewalk tags · 5.1% cycling tags

Environment

Chicago Ridge

Austin

54 Moderate

Air Quality

52 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

42.6%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

98 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

98 days

Before moving from Chicago Ridge, IL to Austin, TX

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Chicago Ridge, IL vs Austin, TX

How do the cost estimates for Chicago Ridge, IL and Austin, TX compare?

Austin, TX has a modeled overall cost index 7.7% higher than Chicago Ridge, 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 Ridge, IL, the model estimates $155,957 in Austin, TX. 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 Ridge, IL and Austin, TX?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,490/month in Chicago Ridge, IL and $1,995/month in Austin, TX. 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 Texas on TaxTakeHome.com