Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Baraboo, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Baraboo, WI: $2,376 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Baraboo, WI
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Baraboo, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Baraboo, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,376

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Baraboo, WI

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 Baraboo, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,376 in Baraboo, WI.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Baraboo, WI $2,376

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $3,386 in Baraboo, WI.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Baraboo, WI $3,386

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $4,395 in Baraboo, WI.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Baraboo, WI $4,395

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 32% more expensive than in Baraboo, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Baraboo, WI 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$14.14 $14.14

46.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$40.27 $40.27

124.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.10 $12.10

6.94%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.88 $4.88

14.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.47 $1.47

79.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.51 $1.51

50.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.03 $5.03

38.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$3.43 $3.43

157.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.78 $0.78

62.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.86 $2.86

32.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.93 $2.93

80.89%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.96 $2.96

60.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$7.95 $7.95

75.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.50 $11.50

27.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$10.56 $10.56

77.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.01 $4.01

29.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.25 $1.25

58.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.58 $3.58

9.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.45 $5.45

-8.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.73 $1.73

59.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.21 $3.21

-14.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.69 $1.69

31.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.01 $2.01

48.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.13 $12.13

15.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$8.03 $8.03

90.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.69 $1.69

52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.39 $3.39

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.73 $1.73

42.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.98 $2.98

12.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.61 $1.61

-11.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$26.75 $26.75

-9.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.3K $24.3K

44.18%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.81%

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

$193 $193

$172 $172

12.17%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$52.7 $52.7

29.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$51.4 $51.4

19.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.57 $41.57

30.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.57 $11.57

53.33%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,506 $1,506

9.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.9K $20.9K

48.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$56.2 $56.2

17.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$42.90 $42.90

19.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$89.5 $89.5

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$128 $128

10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,613 $1,613

51.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,307 $1,307

28.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,474 $2,474

90.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,148 $2,148

30.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,173 $2,173

88.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,193 $2,193

20.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Baraboo, WI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Baraboo, WI

$1.3K 55% 22.1% $371

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Baraboo, WI

$316 13.3% 29.7% $134

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Baraboo, WI

$252 10.6% 26.6% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Baraboo, WI

$276 11.6% 14.4% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Baraboo, WI

$142 6% 11.6% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Baraboo, WI

$18 * 0.8% 81.1% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Baraboo, WI

$65 2.7% 27.8% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $1,613 in Baraboo, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $40.00 in Baraboo, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $316 per month, with Baraboo, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Baraboo, WI

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

12,556

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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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 Baraboo, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baraboo, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baraboo, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,708 in Chicago, IL and $3,564 in Baraboo, WI to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,613 in Baraboo, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,376 in Baraboo, WI – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baraboo, WI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baraboo, WI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,376 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baraboo, WI hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Baraboo, WI 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 Baraboo, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.