Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Alton, IL: $1,895 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Alton, IL
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Alton, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Alton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,895

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Alton, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Alton, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,895 in Alton, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Alton, IL $1,895

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,862 in Alton, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Alton, IL $2,862

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,829 in Alton, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Alton, IL $3,829

Chicago, IL costs about 66% more than Alton, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Alton, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Alton, IL by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.77 $20.77

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$55.6 $55.6

62.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.17 $11.17

15.85%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.95 $4.95

13.13%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.46 $1.46

80.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.74 $1.74

30.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.89 $3.89

79.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.88 $5.88

50.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.81 $0.81

56.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.59 $2.59

46.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.13 $3.13

69.33%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.16 $3.16

50.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$9.32 $9.32

49.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$6.74 $6.74

116.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$23.42 $23.42

-19.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.26 $4.26

21.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.18 $1.18

67.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.18 $5.18

-24.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.89 $4.89

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.21 $2.21

24.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.74 $2.74

0.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.10 $2.10

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.10 $2.10

41.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.08 $11.08

26.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.05 $12.05

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.83 $1.83

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.67 $2.67

31.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.96 $2.96

12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.69 $1.69

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.98 $0.98

28.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.65%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.31%

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

$193 $193

$331 $331

-41.81%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$43.44 $43.44

57.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$77.7 $77.7

-21.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$27.07 $27.07

99.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.95 $11.95

48.45%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$279 $279

491.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$40.36 $40.36

63.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$42.75 $42.75

19.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$65.4 $65.4

53.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$76.1 $76.1

85.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$763 $763

220.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$627 $627

167.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,099 $1,099

329.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,275 $1,275

119.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,513 $1,513

171.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,455 $1,455

82.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,813 $3,813

27.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

13.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alton, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Alton, IL

$627 33.1% 62.6% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Alton, IL

$349 18.4% 22.3% $100

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Alton, IL

$303 16% 11.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Alton, IL

$452 23.9% 40.4% $130

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Alton, IL

$101 5.3% 37.3% $60

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Alton, IL

$11 * 0.6% 88% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Alton, IL

$51 2.7% 43.1% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $763 in Alton, 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 28% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $56.0 in Alton, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $349 – making Alton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Alton, IL

🕒 Local time

16:58 4:58 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

25,676

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Alton, IL 400 km

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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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 66% more than Alton, 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 $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,842 in Alton, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alton, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $1,895 in Alton, IL. That's a gap of about 66%.

Kindergarten costs $1,652 per month in Chicago, IL and $279 in Alton, 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 Alton, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,895, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Alton, 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. Alton, IL costs $1,895 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 Alton, 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.