cost
Cost of Living Index
Las Vegas70.9 / 0
Chicago61.8 / 100
Comparison
Side-by-side data for relocation, travel, hiring, and investment decisions. Values are shown with source-backed metric definitions so trade-offs are easy to compare.
Bars and radar use 0-100 better scores. Tooltips keep the raw source values visible.
Chart summary: Chicago leads Cost of Living Index with 100 out of 100; Chicago leads Safety Index with 100 out of 100; Las Vegas leads Median Monthly Rent with 100 out of 100; Chicago leads House Price to Income with 100 out of 100. A complete normalized score table follows.
| Metric | Place | Raw value | Normalized score | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | Las Vegas | 70.9 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Cost of Living Index | Chicago | 61.8 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Safety Index | Las Vegas | 56 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Safety Index | Chicago | 62.6 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | UNData / UNSD |
| Median Monthly Rent | Las Vegas | $3,131 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Median Monthly Rent | Chicago | $3,201 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Las Vegas | 15.3x | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| House Price to Income | Chicago | 12.9x | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Las Vegas | $6,644/mo | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Average Salary | Chicago | $6,975/mo | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Las Vegas | 6.2% | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Unemployment Rate | Chicago | 4.1% | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | World Bank Open Data |
| Healthcare Access Index | Las Vegas | 65.7 | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Healthcare Access Index | Chicago | 57.3 | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Las Vegas | 79.9 years | 100 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
| Life Expectancy | Chicago | 75.7 years | 0 out of 100 | 2026 | WHO Global Health Observatory |
cost
safety
housing
housing
jobs
jobs
health
health
Winner
Chicago wins on 14 of 22 metrics compared to Las Vegas.
Winner logic counts row wins after applying each metric direction. Exact ties do not count. Methodology
Top trade-offs
Las Vegas leads rent, health, and environment; Chicago leads cost, safety, and housing.
cost
Las Vegas
70.9
Chicago
61.8
safety
Las Vegas
56
Chicago
62.6
housing
Las Vegas
$3,131
Chicago
$3,201
housing
Las Vegas
15.3x
Chicago
12.9x
jobs
Las Vegas
$6,644/mo
Chicago
$6,975/mo
jobs
Las Vegas
6.2%
Chicago
4.1%
health
Las Vegas
65.7
Chicago
57.3
health
Las Vegas
79.9 years
Chicago
75.7 years
environment
environment
infrastructure
demographics
Las Vegas
0.1%
Chicago
0.6%
education
Las Vegas
53.4
Chicago
69.5
transport
Las Vegas
61.7
Chicago
47.9
safety
Las Vegas
20.0 per 100k
Chicago
17.8 per 100k
safety
Las Vegas
41.1 per 100k
Chicago
59.8 per 100k
health
Las Vegas
19.8%
Chicago
20.6%
quality
Las Vegas
4.3
Chicago
6.2
housing
Las Vegas
$13,173/sqm
Chicago
$10,018/sqm
religion
Las Vegas
50.5%
Chicago
52.6%
religion
Las Vegas
30.3%
Chicago
50.4%
religion
Las Vegas
45.3%
Chicago
39.8%
Some city-level values are modeled estimates when official city-level data is unavailable.
Each metric keeps its source, year, last refreshed date, and confidence label visible. Review methodology or Data Sources.