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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,777 in Berwyn, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $4,032 in Berwyn, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,287 in Berwyn, IL.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 11% more expensive than Berwyn, IL, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Berwyn, IL 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$19.76 $19.76

5.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$79.3 $79.3

23.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.07 $10.07

17.78%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

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

$3.07 $3.07

$3.09 $3.09

-0.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.17 $2.17

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.08 $5.08

40.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.88 $7.88

2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.09 $1.09

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.06 $4.06

1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.35 $5.35

4.86%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.23 $4.23

6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$14.43 $14.43

-1.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$13.41 $13.41

11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$19.53 $19.53

-1.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.63 $5.63

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 $1.71

3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.46 $4.46

-1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.94 $4.94

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.57 $2.57

-1.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.84 $2.84

-3.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.49 $2.49

-2.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.63 $2.63

-0.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$15.26 $15.26

-2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$15.73 $15.73

-5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.84 $1.84

33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.61 $3.61

3.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.98 $1.98

25.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$74.4 $74.4

1.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.76 $2.76

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.37 $1.37

3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$21.05 $21.05

18.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.79 $0.79

34.18%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.5K $31.5K

1.43%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

0.13%

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

$185 $185

-0.17%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$47.17 $47.17

30.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$65.2 $65.2

2.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.98 $42.98

74.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$15.10 $15.10

-2.58%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,786 $1,786

13.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$24.3K $24.3K

62.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$54.4 $54.4

18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$45.19 $45.19

16.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$94.6 $94.6

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$123 $123

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,612 $1,612

43.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,332 $1,332

19.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,615 $2,615

76.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,257 $2,257

23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,392 $2,392

63.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,363 $2,363

10.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$4,009 $4,009

30.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.55

0.76%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Berwyn, IL: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,612 in Berwyn, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $79.0 in Berwyn, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $442 per month, with Berwyn, IL cheaper across the board.

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 Berwyn, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Berwyn, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chicago, IL pays 30% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,612 in Berwyn, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,786 in Berwyn, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Berwyn, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Berwyn, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Berwyn, IL 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 Berwyn, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.