Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Vienna Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Vienna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,696 per month in Alton, IL vs $2,253 in Vienna, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,887 per month in Alton, IL vs $3,480 in Vienna, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,079 per month in Alton, IL vs $4,707 in Vienna, rent included.

Alton, IL costs about 20% more than Vienna, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Alton, IL and Vienna sit above the global median – Alton, IL by 102%, Vienna by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.54 $19.54

$17.40 €15.25

12.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 $66.2

$85.1 €74.6

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$11.76 €10.30

0.43%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$4.98 €4.36

3.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.58 €3.13

-40.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.11 €2.73

-39.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.87 €5.14

-13.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 $6.40

$5.18 €4.54

23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.71 €1.50

-51.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.80 €2.45

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$2.78 €2.44

124.46%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$4.49 €3.94

-16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.83 $7.83

$17.36 €15.21

-54.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$15.03 €13.17

-48.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.03 $20.03

$24.67 €21.61

-18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$3.03 €2.65

122.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.36 €2.07

9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.35 €2.94

109.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.23 €3.71

21.99%

Potato (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.15 €1.89

138.14%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.06 €1.81

107.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.98 €1.73

-1.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.94 €0.82

176.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 $6.80

$7.45 €6.53

-8.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 $12.89

$8.30 €7.28

55.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.47 €1.29

25.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.96 €1.71

95.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.86 €2.50

-28.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.97 €35.02

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.53 €3.97

-34.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.04 €1.79

-22.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.80 $28.80

$38.21 €33.48

-24.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.83 €1.61

-53.55%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.3K $29.3K

$32.2K €28.2K

-8.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.1K $25.1K

$33.6K €29.4K

-25.13%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$241 $241

$336 €294

-28.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$50.1 $50.1

$16.43 €14.39

204.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$41.38 €36.25

50.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.45 $43.45

$47.16 €41.31

-7.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.35 €22.21

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$13.93 €12.21

-15.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$323 €283

304.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$23.3K €20.4K

-0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$97.7 €85.6

-42.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 $43.48

$44.81 €39.26

-2.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 $74.5

$98.3 €86.1

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 $194

$159 €139

22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$1,247 €1,093

29.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$881 €772

51.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,671 $2,671

$2,292 €2,008

16.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 $2,255

$1,621 €1,420

39.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 $1,522

$14.3K €12.5K

-89.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,458 $1,458

$6,501 €5,695

-77.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,793 $3,793

$3,335 €2,922

13.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

3.6

82.22%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alton, IL: July 20, 2026

Last update for Vienna: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,615 in Alton, IL versus $1,247 in Vienna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Alton, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Alton, IL versus $85.0 in Vienna. Groceries tell a different story – $406 in Alton, IL vs $397 in Vienna – so Vienna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alton, IL vs Vienna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alton, IL costs about 20% more than Vienna, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,043 per month in Alton, IL and $3,380 in Vienna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vienna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,696 in Alton, IL and $2,253 in Vienna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,307 per month in Alton, IL and $323 in Vienna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Vienna, where all-in costs run around $2,253, than in Alton, IL at $2,696. In Vienna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alton, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vienna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Vienna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alton, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.