Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Appleton, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Appleton, WI: $2,114 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Appleton, WI
Learn more

Appleton, WI Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Appleton, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,114

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Appleton, WI and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Appleton, WI and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,114 per month in Appleton, WI vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Appleton, WI $2,114
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,257 per month in Appleton, WI vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Appleton, WI $3,257
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Appleton, WI vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Appleton, WI $4,400
Chicago, IL $6,077

Appleton, WI is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Appleton, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Appleton, WI by 57%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 $18.17

$21.58 $21.58

-15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$88.7 $88.7

-26.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$13.20 $13.20

-15.91%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.59 $5.59

-3.94%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$2.63 $2.63

-1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.26 $2.26

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 $4.61

$7.11 $7.11

-35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$9.23 $9.23

-34.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.28 $1.28

-19.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.84 $3.84

-20.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$5.07 $5.07

1.18%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$4.84 $4.84

-6.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$14.17 $14.17

0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$14.61 $14.61

-42.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 $15.52

$18.76 $18.76

-17.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.19 $5.19

-6.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.00 $2.00

-33.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$4.00 $4.00

-21.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.98 $4.98

-12.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.79 $2.79

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.65 $2.65

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.13 $2.13

3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.09 $3.09

1.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$16.05 $16.05

-31.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.20 $15.20

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.62 $2.62

-32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.46 $3.46

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.21 $3.21

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$25.02 $25.02

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.24 $1.24

-20.97%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$37.2K $37.2K

-4.67%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

-1.52%

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

$174 $174

$192 $192

-9.40%

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

$44.20 $44.20

$67.8 $67.8

-34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.9 $60.9

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 $23.46

$53.6 $53.6

-56.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.62 $39.62

$27.90 $27.90

42.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 $14.55

$17.80 $17.80

-18.26%

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

$1,508 $1,508

$1,554 $1,554

-2.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.23 $39.23

$67.9 $67.9

-42.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.89 $24.89

$50.8 $50.8

-50.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.0 $50.0

$101 $101

-50.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$143 $143

-22.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 $1,524

$2,383 $2,383

-36.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 $992

$1,712 $1,712

-42.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 $1,800

$4,674 $4,674

-61.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$2,738 $2,738

-30.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 $2,257

$4,158 $4,158

-45.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,278 $2,278

$2,691 $2,691

-15.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,999 $3,999

$4,894 $4,894

-18.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.77

-5.91%

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

Last update for Appleton, WI: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Appleton, WI

$992 46.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 72.7% $720

Groceries & Markets

Appleton, WI

$380 18%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 18.7% $71

Eating Out

Appleton, WI

$298 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 18.5% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Appleton, WI

$280 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 14.6% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Appleton, WI

$101 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 61.6% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Appleton, WI

$53 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 69.7% $37

Getting Around

Appleton, WI

$10 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 835% $85

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Appleton, WI versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. 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 22% higher in Chicago, 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 $65.0 in Appleton, WI versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $451 – making Appleton, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Appleton, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

Same time as Appleton, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,139

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Appleton, WI Chicago, IL 270 km

From you

Appleton, WI
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Appleton, WI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,170 per month in Appleton, WI and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Appleton, WI and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Appleton, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,114, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Appleton, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Appleton, WI – 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 Appleton, WI. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.