Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bolingbrook, IL: $2,341 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Bolingbrook, IL
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Bolingbrook, IL Living Index
153

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

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Bolingbrook, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,341

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,341 per month in Bolingbrook, IL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bolingbrook, IL $2,341
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,380 per month in Bolingbrook, IL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bolingbrook, IL $3,380
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,420 per month in Bolingbrook, IL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bolingbrook, IL $4,420
Chicago, IL $6,077

Bolingbrook, IL is about 26% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bolingbrook, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bolingbrook, IL by 73%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.90 $13.90

$21.58 $21.58

-35.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 $62.6

$88.7 $88.7

-29.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 $8.04

$13.20 $13.20

-39.09%

Cappuccino

$5.46 $5.46

$5.59 $5.59

-2.33%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$2.63 $2.63

-17.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.26 $2.26

-51.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

$7.11 $7.11

-14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$9.23 $9.23

-45.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.28 $1.28

-35.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.84 $3.84

-40.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$5.07 $5.07

-43.79%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$4.84 $4.84

-25.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$14.17 $14.17

-46.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$14.61 $14.61

-21.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$18.76 $18.76

-44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$5.19 $5.19

6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.00 $2.00

-14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.00 $4.00

-14.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$4.98 $4.98

13.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.79 $2.79

-38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.65 $2.65

-1.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.13 $2.13

-20.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.09 $3.09

-19.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$16.05 $16.05

-25.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$15.20 $15.20

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.62 $2.62

-35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.46 $3.46

18.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.47 $2.47

-17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.21 $3.21

74.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.39 $1.39

112.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.76 $17.76

$25.02 $25.02

-29.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.24 $1.24

-9.68%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$37.2K $37.2K

-34.50%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.42%

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

$173 $173

$192 $192

-10.13%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$67.8 $67.8

-23.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 $50.9

$60.9 $60.9

-16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 $42.26

$53.6 $53.6

-21.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 $11.29

$17.80 $17.80

-36.57%

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

$1,522 $1,522

$1,554 $1,554

-2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$31.4K $31.4K

-60.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.24 $47.24

$67.9 $67.9

-30.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.04 $25.04

$50.8 $50.8

-50.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 $57.7

$101 $101

-43.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 $50.1

$143 $143

-65.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$2,383 $2,383

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 $1,308

$1,712 $1,712

-23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 $2,798

$4,674 $4,674

-40.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 $2,140

$2,738 $2,738

-21.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,065 $3,065

$4,158 $4,158

-26.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,354 $2,354

$2,691 $2,691

-12.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,655 $5,655

$4,894 $4,894

15.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.77

-5.02%

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

Last update for Bolingbrook, IL: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bolingbrook, IL

$1.3K 55.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 30.9% $404

Groceries & Markets

Bolingbrook, IL

$328 14%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 37.4% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bolingbrook, IL

$276 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 16.5% $45

Eating Out

Bolingbrook, IL

$255 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 38.7% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Bolingbrook, IL

$81 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 102% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Bolingbrook, IL

$65 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 37.5% $24

Getting Around

Bolingbrook, IL

$29 * 1.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 233% $67

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,770 in Bolingbrook, IL 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 16% higher in Bolingbrook, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Bolingbrook, IL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $451 – making Bolingbrook, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bolingbrook, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

Same time as Bolingbrook, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,922

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Bolingbrook, IL Chicago, IL 42 km

From you

Bolingbrook, IL
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,341 in Bolingbrook, IL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 36% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,511 per month in Bolingbrook, IL 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 Bolingbrook, 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 $2,341 in Bolingbrook, IL and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 36%.

Kindergarten costs $1,522 per month in Bolingbrook, IL and $1,554 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,341 in Bolingbrook, IL and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,341 in Bolingbrook, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bolingbrook, 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.