Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Waterloo 

Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in Waterloo is 19.6% lower than in Chicago, IL (without rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Waterloo is 26.7% lower than in Chicago, IL
Rent Prices in Waterloo are 37.6% lower than in Chicago, IL
Restaurant Prices in Waterloo are 33.4% lower than in Chicago, IL
Groceries Prices in Waterloo are 17.1% lower than in Chicago, IL
Local Purchasing Power in Waterloo is 2.0% lower than in Chicago, IL
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 25.00 $
(34.31 C$)
14.57 $
(20.00 C$)
     -41.7 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 100.00 $
(137.22 C$)
72.87 $
(100.00 C$)
     -27.1 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 12.00 $
(16.47 C$)
9.47 $
(13.00 C$)
     -21.1 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 8.00 $
(10.98 C$)
5.47 $
(7.50 C$)
     -31.7 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 8.00 $
(10.98 C$)
6.56 $
(9.00 C$)
     -18.0 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.15 $
(7.06 C$)
3.28 $
(4.50 C$)
     -36.3 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.99 $
(4.10 C$)
1.73 $
(2.37 C$)
     -42.2 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.40 $
(3.29 C$)
1.58 $
(2.17 C$)
     -34.1 %
Markets
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.06 $
(5.57 C$)
8.73 $
(11.98 C$)
     +115.2 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.74 $
(5.13 C$)
2.19 $
(3.00 C$)
     -41.5 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.84 $
(3.90 C$)
2.03 $
(2.79 C$)
     -28.4 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 3.95 $
(5.42 C$)
3.48 $
(4.78 C$)
     -11.8 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 7.37 $
(10.11 C$)
3.08 $
(4.23 C$)
     -58.2 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 6.72 $
(9.22 C$)
7.64 $
(10.49 C$)
     +13.8 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 9.30 $
(12.76 C$)
7.28 $
(9.98 C$)
     -21.7 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.65 $
(3.64 C$)
1.71 $
(2.35 C$)
     -35.5 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.89 $
(1.23 C$)
0.64 $
(0.87 C$)
     -28.9 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.15 $
(2.96 C$)
1.59 $
(2.18 C$)
     -26.4 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.27 $
(3.12 C$)
1.80 $
(2.48 C$)
     -20.7 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.20 $
(1.64 C$)
1.59 $
(2.18 C$)
     +32.4 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.36 $
(1.87 C$)
1.41 $
(1.93 C$)
     +3.3 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.29 $
(3.14 C$)
2.73 $
(3.75 C$)
     +19.4 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.82 $
(3.87 C$)
2.01 $
(2.76 C$)
     -28.6 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 15.00 $
(20.58 C$)
11.66 $
(16.00 C$)
     -22.3 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.64 $
(3.63 C$)
2.50 $
(3.43 C$)
     -5.5 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 3.83 $
(5.26 C$)
3.64 $
(5.00 C$)
     -4.9 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 16.00 $
(21.96 C$)
16.03 $
(22.00 C$)
     +0.2 %
Transportation
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.50 $
(3.43 C$)
2.73 $
(3.75 C$)
     +9.3 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 80.00 $
(109.78 C$)
67.04 $
(92.00 C$)
     -16.2 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.25 $
(4.46 C$)
2.55 $
(3.50 C$)
     -21.5 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 2.25 $
(3.09 C$)
2.93 $
(4.02 C$)
     +30.3 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 25.00 $
(34.31 C$)
29.15 $
(40.00 C$)
     +16.6 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 4.14 $
(5.68 C$)
4.30 $
(5.89 C$)
     +3.8 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 37,383.69 $
(51,299.77 C$)
24,760.79 $
(33,978.00 C$)
     -33.8 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 26,997.89 $
(37,047.85 C$)
19,810.58 $
(27,185.07 C$)
     -26.6 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 156.86 $
(215.25 C$)
191.70 $
(263.06 C$)
     +22.2 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 54.35 $
(74.58 C$)
46.33 $
(63.57 C$)
     -14.8 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 54.97 $
(75.43 C$)
54.65 $
(75.00 C$)
     -0.6 %
Sports And Leisure
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 70.29 $
(96.45 C$)
38.38 $
(52.67 C$)
     -45.4 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 13.00 $
(17.84 C$)
15.30 $
(21.00 C$)
     +17.7 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 15.00 $
(20.58 C$)
13.12 $
(18.00 C$)
     -12.6 %
Childcare
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 2,308.33 $
(3,167.61 C$)
751.32 $
(1,031.00 C$)
     -67.5 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 43,560.00 $
(59,775.21 C$)
10,202.22 $
(14,000.00 C$)
     -76.6 %
Clothing And Shoes
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 62.17 $
(85.32 C$)
61.33 $
(84.17 C$)
     -1.3 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 53.46 $
(73.36 C$)
24.05 $
(33.00 C$)
     -55.0 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 96.83 $
(132.87 C$)
76.03 $
(104.33 C$)
     -21.5 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 127.14 $
(174.47 C$)
94.25 $
(129.33 C$)
     -25.9 %
Rent Per Month
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,438.00 $
(3,345.55 C$)
1,442.08 $
(1,978.89 C$)
     -40.9 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,493.58 $
(2,049.56 C$)
1,244.91 $
(1,708.33 C$)
     -16.6 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 4,620.00 $
(6,339.80 C$)
2,396.71 $
(3,288.89 C$)
     -48.1 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,961.54 $
(4,063.97 C$)
2,113.32 $
(2,900.00 C$)
     -28.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 330.00 $
(452.84 C$)
641.11 $
(879.77 C$)
     +94.3 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 258.01 $
(354.05 C$)
508.75 $
(698.13 C$)
     +97.2 %
Salaries And Financing
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 4,851.06 $
(6,656.86 C$)
3,486.56 $
(4,784.43 C$)
     -28.1 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.66 6.87      +3.2 %
Last update: June 2024June 2024
Contributors in the past 12 months:23951