Los Angeles - CA vs Chicago - IL: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Los Angeles - CA is roughly 167% more expensive than Chicago - IL in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Los Angeles - CA (26 days vs 14), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Chicago - IL sees more listings with price cuts (27.5% vs 24.4%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Los Angeles vs Chicago: what the numbers say

At today's 7.32% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $5,221 a month in principal and interest in Los Angeles and $1,954 in Chicago, a gap of $3,266 a month.

Typical rent runs $2,929 in Los Angeles and $2,163 in Chicago, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.8 times rent in Los Angeles and 0.9 times rent in Chicago, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 27.0 years of rent in Los Angeles and 13.7 in Chicago; the lower ratio in Chicago means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -0.2% in Los Angeles and +8.3% in Chicago; over just the last three months the change was +0.3% in Los Angeles and +1.5% in Chicago.

Homes sell for 99.9% of list price in Los Angeles and 100.5% in Chicago, after 26 and 14 days on the market, with price cuts on 24% and 28% of listings. The signs are mixed: Los Angeles has longer time on the market and sales further below list, while Chicago has more price cuts.

The number of homes for sale is down 0% on a year ago in Los Angeles and up 1% on a year ago in Chicago.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-22), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.