Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, IA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, IA and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,768 in Burlington, IA versus $3,051 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,638 in Burlington, IA versus $4,638 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,508 in Burlington, IA versus $6,224 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Burlington, IA costs roughly 42% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, IA 32% above, Chicago, IL 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 $11.67

$20.67 $20.67

-43.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$100 $100

-39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 $8.89

$11.86 $11.86

-25.04%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.54 $5.54

0.90%

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

$1.96 $1.96

$3.06 $3.06

-35.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.48 $2.48

-20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 $3.58

$6.92 $6.92

-48.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$8.13 $8.13

-45.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.04 $1.04

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.91 $3.91

-35.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.92 $7.92

$5.42 $5.42

46.13%

Eggs

$2.95 $2.95

$4.48 $4.48

-34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.52 $14.52

2.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$15.21 $15.21

-14.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$19.25 $19.25

-20.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.39 $5.39

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.69 $1.69

10.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.32 $4.32

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.51 $4.51

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.56 $2.56

17.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.70 $2.70

-9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.41 $2.41

-23.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.62 $2.62

-8.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 $8.85

$15.02 $15.02

-41.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 $11.87

$14.71 $14.71

-19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.48 $2.48

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.69 $3.69

7.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.55 $2.55

-34.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.89 $20.89

$75.5 $75.5

-72.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.29 $3.29

9.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.43 $1.43

16.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 $29.30

$24.72 $24.72

18.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.09 $1.09

-13.76%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$31.8K $31.8K

-26.21%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.4K $26.4K

-8.55%

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

$171 $171

$183 $183

-6.80%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$61.8 $61.8

-16.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 $52.1

$65.0 $65.0

-19.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 $50.7

$76.1 $76.1

-33.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 $10.87

$14.75 $14.75

-26.31%

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

$720 $720

$2,056 $2,056

-64.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$38.5K $38.5K

-38.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.38 $43.38

$63.9 $63.9

-32.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.84 $30.84

$51.6 $51.6

-40.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 $66.5

$97.3 $97.3

-31.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.57 $37.57

$147 $147

-74.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 $634

$2,349 $2,349

-73.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 $664

$1,581 $1,581

-57.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 $1,064

$4,708 $4,708

-77.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 $1,169

$2,716 $2,716

-56.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,030 $1,030

$3,976 $3,976

-74.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,036 $1,036

$2,632 $2,632

-60.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,311 $4,311

$4,723 $4,723

-8.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.6

-1.21%

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

Last update for Burlington, IA: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $634 in Burlington, IA and $2,349 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61 in Burlington, IA vs $100 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $447 per month, with Burlington, IA cheaper across the board.

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

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

Burlington, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burlington, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chicago, IL earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $634 in Burlington, IA versus $2,349 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $720 in Burlington, IA versus $2,056 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,768 in Burlington, IA versus $3,051 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burlington, IA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Burlington, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burlington, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,768 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burlington, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Burlington, IA and Chicago, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Burlington, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.