Cost of Living in Chicago
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Summary of cost of living in Chicago, IL, United States:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 4,730.7$, excluding rent (using our estimator).
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 1,289.7$, excluding rent.
- Chicago is 4.8% more expensive than Columbus (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Chicago is, on average, 45.0% higher than in Columbus.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 20.50 $ | |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 100.00 $ | |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 12.00 $ | |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 7.00 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 8.18 $ | |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.52 $ | |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.01 $ | |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.31 $ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.13 $ | |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 3.66 $ | |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2.43 $ | |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 5.05 $ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.60 $ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.55 $ | |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 8.56 $ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.31 $ | |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.82 $ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.85 $ | |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.09 $ | |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.16 $ | |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.26 $ | |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.41 $ | |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.62 $ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 16.49 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 2.69 $ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.24 $ | |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 17.00 $ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 75.00 $ | |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.25 $ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 2.25 $ | |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 25.00 $ | |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.00 $ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 34,000.00 $ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-size Car) | 26,598.85 $ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 183.89 $ | |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 68.67 $ | |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 66.70 $ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 72.12 $ | |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 21.01 $ | |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 18.00 $ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 2,050.00 $ | |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 38,600.00 $ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 63.64 $ | |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 47.50 $ | |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 99.23 $ | |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 142.63 $ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,366.00 $ | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,675.83 $ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 4,465.91 $ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,788.46 $ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 337.95 $ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 234.11 $ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,162.15 $ | |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.75 |
Prices in Chicago, Illinois
This city had 1824 entries in the past 12 months by 258 different contributors.
Last update: 23 October 2025
Last update: 23 October 2025
Sources and References
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
Nearby Cities:| 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 Addison, Illinois | 22.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Arlington Heights, Illinois | 27.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Chicago
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida em Chicago
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 ItalianoCosto della Vita a Chicago
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 FrançaisCoût de la Vie à Chicago
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 EspañolCosto de Vida en Chicago
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Leave a comment:3 Comments so far
Anonymous
on Apr 03, 2021:
Chicago is reasonable on everything except real estate taxes, state income tax, utility taxes, and sales taxes. Taxes in general are high in Illinois. Housing costs and wages are good however. World class city. Suburbs are better however. But, you have city amenities at your fingertips and the burbs are a little cheaper.
Anonymous
on Dec 21, 2020:
The post by ECONOMICS January 11,2019 isn't correct.
Anonymous
on Oct 24, 2020:
2.96 a gallon of milk?! Yeah. In Costco! But if you don't have Costco membership, regular price in store is around $5.96!