Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Chicago, IL 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Chicago, IL are 23.5% higher than in Madison, WI (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Chicago, IL are 32.1% higher than in Madison, WI | |
| Rent Prices in Chicago, IL are 48.1% higher than in Madison, WI | |
| Restaurant Prices in Chicago, IL are 38.6% higher than in Madison, WI | |
| Groceries Prices in Chicago, IL are 36.0% higher than in Madison, WI | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Chicago, IL is 5.7% lower than in Madison, WI | |
Restaurants | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 15.00 $ | 25.00 $ | +66.7 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 75.00 $ | 100.00 $ | +33.3 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 10.00 $ | 12.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 5.50 $ | 8.00 $ | +45.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 6.25 $ | 8.00 $ | +28.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.43 $ | 5.19 $ | -4.3 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.43 $ | 2.99 $ | +23.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.18 $ | 2.39 $ | +9.8 % |
Markets | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3.48 $ | 4.04 $ | +16.2 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.22 $ | 3.84 $ | +19.2 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.28 $ | 2.85 $ | +25.1 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.12 $ | 4.07 $ | +30.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.21 $ | 7.52 $ | +44.3 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.64 $ | 6.74 $ | +1.4 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 6.47 $ | 9.46 $ | +46.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.74 $ | 2.70 $ | +55.3 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.55 $ | 0.89 $ | +63.2 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.37 $ | 2.10 $ | +52.9 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.69 $ | 2.24 $ | +32.3 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.04 $ | 1.19 $ | +14.8 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.05 $ | 1.35 $ | +28.7 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.70 $ | 2.25 $ | +32.6 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.66 $ | 2.62 $ | +57.3 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 11.50 $ | 15.00 $ | +30.4 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.73 $ | 2.43 $ | +40.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 3.65 $ | 4.31 $ | +18.2 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 10.00 $ | 16.50 $ | +65.0 % |
Transportation | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.00 $ | 2.50 $ | +25.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 65.00 $ | 80.00 $ | +23.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 4.50 $ | 3.25 $ | -27.8 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 3.50 $ | 2.25 $ | -35.7 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 42.00 $ | 25.00 $ | -40.5 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.49 $ | 4.22 $ | +21.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,500.00 $ | 37,383.69 $ | +41.1 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 23,999.30 $ | 27,211.87 $ | +13.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 199.06 $ | 157.44 $ | -20.9 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 51.25 $ | 54.48 $ | +6.3 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 73.32 $ | 57.38 $ | -21.7 % |
Sports And Leisure | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 65.00 $ | 78.67 $ | +21.0 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 20.00 $ | 6.25 $ | -68.8 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 14.50 $ | 15.00 $ | +3.4 % |
Childcare | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,712.15 $ | 2,170.00 $ | +26.7 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 24,601.00 $ | 45,450.00 $ | +84.7 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 58.00 $ | 60.46 $ | +4.3 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 43.75 $ | 53.75 $ | +22.9 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 104.83 $ | 97.19 $ | -7.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 121.50 $ | 128.06 $ | +5.4 % |
Rent Per Month | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,593.33 $ | 2,446.74 $ | +53.6 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,351.54 $ | 1,507.04 $ | +11.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 2,768.75 $ | 4,608.70 $ | +66.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,068.75 $ | 2,963.64 $ | +43.3 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 280.33 $ | 334.28 $ | +19.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 223.99 $ | 260.01 $ | +16.1 % |
Salaries And Financing | Madison, WI Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,024.00 $ | 5,011.38 $ | +24.5 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.45 | 6.62 | +2.7 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 44 | 226 |
Moving to Madison, WI? Explore:
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Cities near Madison, WI: | Cost of Living in Rockford, Illinois | 73.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 79.12 miles |
| Cost of Living in Neenah, Wisconsin | 99.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in McHenry, Illinois | 100.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Appleton, Wisconsin | 106.15 miles |
| Cost of Living in Stevens Point, Wisconsin | 110.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kenosha, Wisconsin | 114.38 miles |
| Cost of Living in Streamwood, Illinois | 116.68 miles |
| Cost of Living in Batavia, Illinois | 125.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Aurora, Illinois | 138.10 miles |
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Naperville, Illinois | 30.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Schaumburg, Illinois | 30.60 miles |