Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomington, IL: $2,280 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Bloomington, IL
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Bloomington, IL Living Index
147

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

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Bloomington, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,280

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bloomington, IL $2,280
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,272 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bloomington, IL $3,272
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,264 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bloomington, IL $4,264
Chicago, IL $5,999

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

Both Bloomington, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bloomington, IL by 68%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 $18.17

$20.71 $20.71

-12.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 $78.3

$89.2 $89.2

-12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$13.19 $13.19

-7.51%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$5.66 $5.66

-12.01%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$2.64 $2.64

-10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.28 $2.28

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 $5.60

$6.87 $6.87

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$8.84 $8.84

-22.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.25 $1.25

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.72 $3.72

-34.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$5.39 $5.39

-19.29%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$4.74 $4.74

-23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$13.84 $13.84

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 $7.86

$14.40 $14.40

-45.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.51 $17.51

$18.38 $18.38

-4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.22 $5.22

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.98 $1.98

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.06 $4.06

34.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.97 $4.97

-30.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.67 $2.67

27.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.66 $2.66

3.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.24 $2.24

19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.13 $3.13

-13.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 $8.07

$13.82 $13.82

-41.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$14.88 $14.88

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.54 $2.54

-20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.51 $3.51

-7.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.43 $2.43

-47.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.17 $40.17

$73.5 $73.5

-45.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.18 $3.18

7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.39 $1.39

10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.42 $39.42

$25.03 $25.03

57.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.20 $1.20

-15.00%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.99%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.29%

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

$203 $203

$194 $194

4.67%

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

$70.9 $70.9

$69.5 $69.5

2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$61.6 $61.6

22.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.79 $44.79

$47.90 $47.90

-6.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 $9.83

$17.81 $17.81

-44.81%

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

$1,429 $1,429

$1,794 $1,794

-20.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-24.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 $58.3

$67.0 $67.0

-12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 $39.48

$52.1 $52.1

-24.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 $83.8

$102 $102

-17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-18.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$2,526 $2,526

-64.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$1,578 $1,578

-36.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 $1,456

$4,738 $4,738

-69.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,461 $1,461

$2,693 $2,693

-45.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,572 $1,572

$4,190 $4,190

-62.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,257 $1,257

$2,768 $2,768

-54.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,622 $4,622

$4,931 $4,931

-6.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Bloomington, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bloomington, IL

$1K 44%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 57.2% $574

Groceries & Markets

Bloomington, IL

$371 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 20.4% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bloomington, IL

$350 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 7% $24

Eating Out

Bloomington, IL

$300 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 15.1% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Bloomington, IL

$135 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 21.8% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Bloomington, IL

$64 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 29.6% $19

Getting Around

Bloomington, IL

$56 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 65.8% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in Bloomington, IL versus $2,526 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 7% 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 $78 in Bloomington, IL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $447 – making Bloomington, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bloomington, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:57 2:57 PM

Same time as Bloomington, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

69,247

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 33% more than Bloomington, 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 $3,421 per month in Bloomington, IL and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloomington, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $905 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,429 per month in Bloomington, IL and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,280 in Bloomington, IL and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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