Chicago vs Duluth
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Chicago
Duluth
💡 The Verdict
Chicago is 1% cheaper than Duluth overall. A $75,000 salary in Chicago is equivalent to $75,701 in Duluth.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Chicago (left) vs Duluth (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Chicago versus Duluth. Differences shown from Chicago perspective.
| Item | Chicago | Duluth | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,230/mo | $1,030/mo | +$200.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,700/mo | $1,310/mo | +$390.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $2,220/mo | $1,650/mo | +$570.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.71 | $3.00 | $-0.29 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.17 | $3.94 | +$0.23 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.55 | $3.46 | +$0.09 |
| Coffee (latte) | $6.11 | $6.36 | $-0.25 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.57 | $3.83 | $-0.26 |
| Restaurant Meal | $15.53 | $16.00 | $-0.47 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $75,701 in Duluth.
Conversely, $75,000 in Duluth equals $74,306 in Chicago.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1425 difference is driven by Minnesota having a higher state income tax rate. Illinois details → · Minnesota details →
Reading These Numbers: Chicago (107) vs Duluth (108)
Chicago at 107 is 7% above the US average, while Duluth at 108 is 8% above average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Chicago, the composite index of 107 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 112, followed by groceries (104), utilities (100), transportation (116), and healthcare (101). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,700/mo in Chicago and $1,310/mo in Duluth, the annual rent difference is approximately $4,680.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $23,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $59,000.0 difference in median home prices between Chicago and Duluth translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Chicago vs Duluth
Choosing between Chicago and Duluth involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Chicago and Duluth reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.