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 26.6% lower than in Chicago, IL
Rent Prices in Waterloo are 37.4% lower than in Chicago, IL
Restaurant Prices in Waterloo are 32.2% lower than in Chicago, IL
Groceries Prices in Waterloo are 16.4% lower than in Chicago, IL
Local Purchasing Power in Waterloo is 5.5% 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 $
(34.14 C$)
14.64 $
(20.00 C$)
     -41.4 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 100.00 $
(136.57 C$)
73.22 $
(100.00 C$)
     -26.8 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 12.00 $
(16.39 C$)
10.98 $
(15.00 C$)
     -8.5 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 8.00 $
(10.93 C$)
5.49 $
(7.50 C$)
     -31.4 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 8.00 $
(10.93 C$)
6.59 $
(9.00 C$)
     -17.6 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.21 $
(7.11 C$)
3.30 $
(4.50 C$)
     -36.7 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.99 $
(4.09 C$)
1.74 $
(2.37 C$)
     -41.9 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.40 $
(3.27 C$)
1.59 $
(2.17 C$)
     -33.8 %
Markets
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.06 $
(5.54 C$)
8.96 $
(12.23 C$)
     +120.9 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.81 $
(5.20 C$)
2.31 $
(3.15 C$)
     -39.4 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.85 $
(3.89 C$)
2.04 $
(2.79 C$)
     -28.3 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.07 $
(5.56 C$)
3.50 $
(4.78 C$)
     -14.0 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 7.52 $
(10.27 C$)
3.10 $
(4.23 C$)
     -58.8 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 6.78 $
(9.26 C$)
7.68 $
(10.49 C$)
     +13.3 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 9.46 $
(12.92 C$)
7.31 $
(9.98 C$)
     -22.7 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.70 $
(3.68 C$)
1.72 $
(2.35 C$)
     -36.1 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.89 $
(1.22 C$)
0.64 $
(0.87 C$)
     -28.6 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.10 $
(2.87 C$)
1.59 $
(2.18 C$)
     -24.1 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.24 $
(3.06 C$)
1.81 $
(2.48 C$)
     -19.0 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.19 $
(1.63 C$)
1.59 $
(2.18 C$)
     +33.6 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.35 $
(1.84 C$)
1.41 $
(1.93 C$)
     +4.9 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.25 $
(3.07 C$)
2.74 $
(3.75 C$)
     +22.0 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.62 $
(3.57 C$)
2.02 $
(2.76 C$)
     -22.7 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 15.00 $
(20.48 C$)
11.72 $
(16.00 C$)
     -21.9 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.43 $
(3.32 C$)
3.45 $
(4.71 C$)
     +42.0 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 4.31 $
(5.89 C$)
3.66 $
(5.00 C$)
     -15.1 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 16.00 $
(21.85 C$)
16.11 $
(22.00 C$)
     +0.7 %
Transportation
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.50 $
(3.41 C$)
2.75 $
(3.75 C$)
     +9.8 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 80.00 $
(109.25 C$)
67.37 $
(92.00 C$)
     -15.8 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.25 $
(4.44 C$)
3.66 $
(5.00 C$)
     +12.7 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 2.25 $
(3.07 C$)
2.95 $
(4.02 C$)
     +30.9 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 25.00 $
(34.14 C$)
29.29 $
(40.00 C$)
     +17.2 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 4.22 $
(5.77 C$)
4.31 $
(5.88 C$)
     +1.9 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 37,383.69 $
(51,053.37 C$)
24,880.30 $
(33,978.00 C$)
     -33.4 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 27,211.87 $
(37,162.14 C$)
19,924.27 $
(27,209.76 C$)
     -26.8 %
Utilities (Monthly)
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 160.77 $
(219.55 C$)
192.63 $
(263.06 C$)
     +19.8 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 55.33 $
(75.57 C$)
46.55 $
(63.57 C$)
     -15.9 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 57.48 $
(78.49 C$)
54.92 $
(75.00 C$)
     -4.5 %
Sports And Leisure
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 76.63 $
(104.65 C$)
33.10 $
(45.20 C$)
     -56.8 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 13.00 $
(17.75 C$)
15.38 $
(21.00 C$)
     +18.3 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 15.00 $
(20.48 C$)
12.45 $
(17.00 C$)
     -17.0 %
Childcare
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 2,308.33 $
(3,152.40 C$)
754.95 $
(1,031.00 C$)
     -67.3 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 45,450.00 $
(62,069.20 C$)
10,251.46 $
(14,000.00 C$)
     -77.4 %
Clothing And Shoes
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 60.46 $
(82.57 C$)
61.63 $
(84.17 C$)
     +1.9 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 53.75 $
(73.40 C$)
24.16 $
(33.00 C$)
     -55.0 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 97.19 $
(132.73 C$)
76.40 $
(104.33 C$)
     -21.4 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 130.31 $
(177.96 C$)
94.70 $
(129.33 C$)
     -27.3 %
Rent Per Month
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,432.29 $
(3,321.68 C$)
1,449.04 $
(1,978.89 C$)
     -40.4 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,517.89 $
(2,072.92 C$)
1,250.92 $
(1,708.33 C$)
     -17.6 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 4,604.17 $
(6,287.72 C$)
2,408.28 $
(3,288.89 C$)
     -47.7 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,991.30 $
(4,085.10 C$)
2,123.52 $
(2,900.00 C$)
     -29.0 %
Buy Apartment Price
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 330.00 $
(450.66 C$)
644.21 $
(879.77 C$)
     +95.2 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 258.01 $
(352.35 C$)
511.21 $
(698.13 C$)
     +98.1 %
Salaries And Financing
Chicago, IL Edit Waterloo Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 5,049.64 $
(6,896.09 C$)
3,503.38 $
(4,784.43 C$)
     -30.6 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.64 7.24      +9.0 %
Last update: May 2024May 2024
Contributors in the past 12 months:22852