Chicago vs Austin: After-Tax Take-Home and Cost of Living
After-tax figures use ExactTakeHome's 2026 engine for a single filer at $100,000 gross. Cost-of-living index is an estimate based on Numbeo and MIT Living Wage data. Actual costs vary by neighbourhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. This is not financial advice.
Chicago real-value estimate: $63,444
Austin real-value estimate: $68,852
| Salary | Chicago Net | Austin Net | Chicago Real Value | Austin Real Value | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $57,880 | $61,593 | $49,470 | $53,559 | Austin |
| $100,000 | $74,230 | $79,180 | $63,444 | $68,852 | Austin |
| $125,000 | $90,516 | $96,704 | $77,364 | $84,090 | Austin |
| $150,000 | $106,366 | $113,791 | $90,911 | $98,949 | Austin |
| $200,000 | $139,027 | $148,927 | $118,826 | $129,502 | Austin |