Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belvidere, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Belvidere, IL: $2,359 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Belvidere, IL
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Belvidere, IL Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Belvidere, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,359

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belvidere, IL 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 Belvidere, IL and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Belvidere, IL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Belvidere, IL $2,359
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,373 per month in Belvidere, IL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Belvidere, IL $3,373
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Belvidere, IL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Belvidere, IL $4,387
Chicago, IL $6,115

Belvidere, IL is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Belvidere, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Belvidere, IL by 74%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 $11.07

$20.65 $20.65

-46.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.63 $47.63

$90.2 $90.2

-47.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 $7.85

$12.94 $12.94

-39.34%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$5.60 $5.60

-10.54%

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

$1.23 $1.23

$2.64 $2.64

-53.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.27 $2.27

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 $4.58

$6.98 $6.98

-34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$8.83 $8.83

-31.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.27 $1.27

-45.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 $1.34

$3.80 $3.80

-64.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$5.30 $5.30

-10.94%

Eggs

$2.48 $2.48

$4.76 $4.76

-47.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$13.96 $13.96

-69.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.66 $10.66

$14.61 $14.61

-27.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$18.77 $18.77

-12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.19 $5.19

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.98 $1.98

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$3.93 $3.93

33.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$4.96 $4.96

-65.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.76 $2.76

-44.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.76 $2.76

-69.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.22 $2.22

-56.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.98 $2.98

-31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 $5.83

$14.02 $14.02

-58.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 $11.14

$15.28 $15.28

-27.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.50 $3.50

-7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.47 $2.47

-17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.34 $3.34

2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.43 $1.43

33.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.63 $44.63

$24.32 $24.32

83.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.26 $1.26

-33.33%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-5.98%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

4.94%

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

$202 $202

$193 $193

5.04%

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

$44.29 $44.29

$68.3 $68.3

-35.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$61.3 $61.3

14.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 $41.94

$54.1 $54.1

-22.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 $8.04

$17.74 $17.74

-54.68%

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

$696 $696

$1,652 $1,652

-57.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-30.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 $49.38

$66.1 $66.1

-25.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 $62.1

$51.2 $51.2

21.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$100 $100

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 $88.4

$141 $141

-37.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$2,446 $2,446

-34.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 $1,301

$1,678 $1,678

-22.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,537 $2,537

$4,717 $4,717

-46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 $2,187

$2,795 $2,795

-21.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,757 $2,757

$4,105 $4,105

-32.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,356 $2,356

$2,650 $2,650

-11.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for Belvidere, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Belvidere, IL

$1.3K 55.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 29% $377

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belvidere, IL

$317 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 1.8% $5.6

Groceries & Markets

Belvidere, IL

$300 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 50% $150

Eating Out

Belvidere, IL

$218 9.3%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 57.3% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Belvidere, IL

$144 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 12% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Belvidere, IL

$58 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 54.4% $32

Getting Around

Belvidere, IL

$21 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 350% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Belvidere, IL versus $2,446 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Belvidere, IL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $449 – making Belvidere, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Belvidere, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:50 8:50 PM

Same time as Belvidere, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,585

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Belvidere, IL Chicago, IL 110 km

From you

Belvidere, IL
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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 33% more than Belvidere, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,538 per month in Belvidere, IL and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belvidere, IL, 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 $2,359 in Belvidere, IL and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 33%.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Belvidere, IL and $1,652 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belvidere, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,359, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Belvidere, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Belvidere, IL costs $2,359 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Belvidere, IL. 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.