[ninethirty]

Hello all...I'm usually a lurker but now I have an important question to ask!

My gf and I work for a large web design firm in Calgary Alberta, Canada and we've been asked by our company if we would be interested in moving to Chicago. Of course the idea is intriguing but we're slightly hesitant because neither of us actually know what the cost of living difference is actually like there. We've done lots of research online about average salaries (in US dollars) for these positions but of course we're not being offered that amount of money. My question is, in any large US what is an average amount of money for these positions, and if anyone knows specifically in Chicago what those #'s are, and even further to that, what amount of money a person would need to make in Chicago to continue living comfortably (not rich, but not living paycheck to paycheck either).

Thanks in advance!

[andi*pandi]

aiga does a report like this, that lists designer salaries by region.

I just tried connecting to their site and couldn't, maybe you'll have better luck. Search for salary report or something.

[art_director]

As andi*pandi suggeste, check out the AIGA. They have salary surveys but be warned that they're horribly inaccurate. Or so has been my experience over the years.

Another approach you could use would be to contact a recruiter in Chicago and pretend you're looking for a gig. It's deceptive but then so are headhunters.

[Thorzdad]

The AIGA surveys are a useful barometer but, as has been pointed out, they tend to be inaccurate. Specifically, they tend to run higher than normal. I put this disparity down to the (IMHO) probability that the very people who belong to AIGA in the first place tend to be on the higher-paid end of the scale to begin with.

There are variables you can calculate. First, what is the exchange difference between the US and Canadian dollars? You certainly should expect your salaries to be adjusted to account for this no matter what else you negotiate.
After that, you could figure what the cost of living difference would be moving from Calgary to, say, Montreal. That should be a reasonable equivalent to Chicago, I think.
Remember, too, to keep in mid things like health coverage. No national health down here. Either you or your employer (or both) are going to have to pay for that. And it isn't anywhere near cheap.