Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Belleville, IL: $2,249 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Belleville, IL
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Belleville, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Belleville, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,249

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,249 in Belleville, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Belleville, IL $2,249

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,369 in Belleville, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Belleville, IL $3,369

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,489 in Belleville, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Belleville, IL $4,489

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than Belleville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Belleville, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Belleville, IL by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.71 $17.71

16.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$69.0 $69.0

29.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.33 $9.33

41.37%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.48 $4.48

26.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.06 $2.06

28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.75 $1.75

30.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.55 $4.55

50.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.97 $5.97

48.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.33 $2.33

59.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.77 $3.77

42.97%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.97 $3.97

19.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.27 $12.27

12.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.24 $15.24

-5.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.64 $12.64

45.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.83 $5.83

-10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.76 $1.76

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.37 $3.37

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.51 $3.51

41.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.18 $2.18

22.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.03 $2.03

31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.59 $1.59

40.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.87 $1.87

67.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.21 $12.21

13.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.94 $14.94

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.07 $2.07

22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.74 $2.74

28.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.98 $0.98

147.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$78.6 $78.6

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.45 $3.45

-7.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.46 $2.46

-43.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$17.39 $17.39

43.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.96 $0.96

25.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.8K $28.8K

21.64%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.76%

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

$194 $194

$241 $241

-19.48%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$69.8 $69.8

-0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.8 $65.8

-6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$31.06 $31.06

54.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$29.60 $29.60

-7.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.06 $14.06

26.67%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,040 $1,040

72.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.8K $12.8K

149.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.6 $55.6

20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$32.16 $32.16

62.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.9 $86.9

16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$103 $103

39.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,202 $1,202

110.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$945 $945

67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,990 $1,990

138.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,667 $1,667

61.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,141 $2,141

95.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,753 $1,753

57.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,255 $6,255

-21.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Belleville, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Belleville, IL

$945 42% 40.1% $633

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Belleville, IL

$371 16.5% 17% $76

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Belleville, IL

$273 12.2% 20.8% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Belleville, IL

$377 16.8% 15.8% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Belleville, IL

$125 5.6% 23.8% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Belleville, IL

$98 4.4% 5.2% $4.9

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Belleville, IL

$59 2.6% 29.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,202 in Belleville, 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 Belleville, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $69 in Belleville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $371 – making Belleville, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Belleville, IL

🕒 Local time

15:48 3:48 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

42,404

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Belleville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than Belleville, 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 $3,373 in Belleville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belleville, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,202 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,040 in Belleville, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,249 in Belleville, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Belleville, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.