Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Champaign, IL: $2,161 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Champaign, IL
Learn more

Champaign, IL Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Champaign, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,161

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,161 per month in Champaign, IL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Champaign, IL $2,161
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,133 per month in Champaign, IL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Champaign, IL $3,133
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,106 per month in Champaign, IL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Champaign, IL $4,106
Chicago, IL $6,077

Champaign, IL is about 32% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Champaign, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Champaign, IL by 60%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 $15.25

$21.58 $21.58

-29.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$88.7 $88.7

-31.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$13.20 $13.20

-23.41%

Cappuccino

$4.83 $4.83

$5.59 $5.59

-13.60%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$2.63 $2.63

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.26 $2.26

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 $5.57

$7.11 $7.11

-21.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 $5.35

$9.23 $9.23

-42.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.28 $1.28

-33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.84 $3.84

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$5.07 $5.07

-38.26%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$4.84 $4.84

-19.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$14.17 $14.17

-13.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$14.61 $14.61

-59.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 $12.81

$18.76 $18.76

-31.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.19 $5.19

-33.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.00 $2.00

-31.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$4.00 $4.00

-22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.98 $4.98

-8.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.79 $2.79

-27.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.65 $2.65

-15.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.13 $2.13

3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$3.09 $3.09

-59.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 $10.25

$16.05 $16.05

-36.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.20 $15.20

-3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.62 $2.62

-17.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.46 $3.46

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.47 $2.47

-60.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.38 $20.38

$75.1 $75.1

-72.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.21 $3.21

-21.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.39 $1.39

14.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.24 $1.24

-6.45%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-5.54%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

24.89%

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

$240 $240

$192 $192

24.78%

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

$45.66 $45.66

$67.8 $67.8

-32.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$60.9 $60.9

11.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 $25.34

$53.6 $53.6

-52.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 $11.85

$27.90 $27.90

-57.53%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 $11.09

$17.80 $17.80

-37.70%

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

$993 $993

$1,554 $1,554

-36.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K $19.9K

$31.4K $31.4K

-36.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.98 $48.98

$67.9 $67.9

-27.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$101 $101

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$143 $143

-14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$2,383 $2,383

-39.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,712 $1,712

-40.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$4,674 $4,674

-58.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 $1,691

$2,738 $2,738

-38.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,688 $1,688

$4,158 $4,158

-59.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 $1,709

$2,691 $2,691

-36.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,674 $3,674

$4,894 $4,894

-24.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.77

0.74%

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

Last update for Champaign, IL: 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

Champaign, IL

$1K 47%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 68.5% $696

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Champaign, IL

$353 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 9.1% $32

Groceries & Markets

Champaign, IL

$316 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 42.7% $135

Eating Out

Champaign, IL

$264 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 33.5% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Champaign, IL

$129 * 6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 26.6% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Champaign, IL

$48 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 87.7% $42

Getting Around

Champaign, IL

$35 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 174% $60

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,453 in Champaign, 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 33% 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 $61.0 in Champaign, IL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $451 – making Champaign, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Champaign, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:46 6:46 PM

Same time as Champaign, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

88,302

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

Champaign, IL Chicago, IL 200 km

From you

Champaign, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,161 in Champaign, IL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 47% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,241 per month in Champaign, 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 Champaign, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Champaign, IL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Champaign, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,161, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Champaign, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,161 in Champaign, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Champaign, 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.