Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Aurora, IL: $2,774 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Aurora, IL
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Aurora, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Aurora, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,774

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,774 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Aurora, IL $2,774

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,792 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Aurora, IL $3,792

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,810 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Aurora, IL $4,810

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Aurora, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Aurora, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Aurora, IL by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.22 $14.22

45.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.5 $59.5

50.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.78 $11.78

11.97%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.40 $5.40

4.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.89 $2.89

-8.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.27 $2.27

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.85 $4.85

41.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.87 $7.87

12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.91 $0.91

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.53 $3.53

5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.31 $4.31

25.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.64 $3.64

30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.92 $8.92

55.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.49 $11.49

25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.23 $16.23

13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.62 $4.62

12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.73 $3.73

8.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.18 $3.18

56.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.89 $1.89

41.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.72 $2.72

-2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.78 $1.78

25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.63 $1.63

92.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.56 $10.56

30.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.70 $13.70

8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.31 $2.31

9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.81 $2.81

24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.27 $2.27

7.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$96.8 $96.8

-24.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.04 $4.04

-21.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.98 $1.98

-29.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$43.86 $43.86

-42.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

29.18%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.66%

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

$194 $194

$174 $174

11.74%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.5 $51.5

34.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$55.2 $55.2

11.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$17.52 $17.52

173.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.19 $12.19

46.10%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,470 $1,470

22.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.6K $23.6K

35.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.2 $56.2

19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$51.2 $51.2

1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.2 $89.2

13.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$80.6 $80.6

78.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,594 $1,594

58.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,577 $1,577

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,856 $2,856

65.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,215 $2,215

21.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,141 $5,141

-18.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,361 $2,361

17.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,880 $3,880

27.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.45

5.58%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Aurora, IL: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Aurora, IL

$1.6K 56.9% 0.1% $1.1

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Aurora, IL

$356 12.8% 20.5% $92

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Aurora, IL

$274 9.9% 20.4% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Aurora, IL

$281 10.1% 13.8% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Aurora, IL

$125 4.5% 24% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Aurora, IL

$120 4.3% 28.3% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Aurora, IL

$42 1.5% 49.8% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,594 in Aurora, 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 27% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $59 in Aurora, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $356 – making Aurora, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Aurora, IL

🕒 Local time

13:41 1:41 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

180,542

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Aurora, IL 59 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Aurora, 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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Aurora, 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 $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,161 in Aurora, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aurora, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Aurora, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,774 in Aurora, IL. That’s a gap of about 9%.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,774 in Aurora, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Aurora, 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 Aurora, 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.