Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bolingbrook, IL: $2,369 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

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

Cost of Living Index in Bolingbrook, IL
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Bolingbrook, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bolingbrook, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,369

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,369 in Bolingbrook, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bolingbrook, IL $2,369

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,418 in Bolingbrook, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bolingbrook, IL $3,418

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,468 in Bolingbrook, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bolingbrook, IL $4,468

Chicago, IL costs about 28% more than Bolingbrook, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Bolingbrook, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bolingbrook, IL by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.18 $14.18

46.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$62.5 $62.5

42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.94 $7.94

66.12%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.34 $5.34

5.99%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.20 $2.20

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.14 $1.14

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.02 $6.02

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.12 $5.12

72.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.84 $0.84

48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.41 $2.41

54.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.98 $2.98

80.87%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.50 $3.50

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.95 $7.95

74.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.42 $11.42

26.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.60 $10.60

73.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.75 $5.75

-9.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.42 $3.42

18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.34 $5.34

-6.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.71 $1.71

56.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.68 $2.68

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.60 $1.60

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.32 $2.32

34.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.87 $11.87

16.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.39 $8.39

77.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.06 $4.06

-13.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.86 $1.86

30.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$57.0 $57.0

29.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.46 $5.46

-41.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.85 $2.85

-51.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$17.21 $17.21

45.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.14 $1.14

5.26%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

40.78%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.06%

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

$194 $194

$170 $170

14.06%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$52.0 $52.0

33.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$52.0 $52.0

18.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.72 $40.72

17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.61 $9.61

85.33%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,489 $1,489

20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.6K $12.6K

153.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.42 $46.42

44.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$25.23 $25.23

106.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$57.0 $57.0

78.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$49.11 $49.11

192.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,773 $1,773

42.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,286 $1,286

22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,819 $2,819

68.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,088 $2,088

28.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,951 $2,951

41.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,419 $2,419

14.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,957 $5,957

-17.24%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Bolingbrook, IL: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bolingbrook, IL

$1.3K 54.3% 18.5% $292

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bolingbrook, IL

$329 13.9% 26.5% $119

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bolingbrook, IL

$255 10.8% 26% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bolingbrook, IL

$274 11.6% 15.7% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bolingbrook, IL

$80 3.4% 51.2% $84

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bolingbrook, IL

$84 3.6% 9.9% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bolingbrook, IL

$60 2.5% 28.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,773 in Bolingbrook, 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 21% higher in Bolingbrook, 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 $62 in Bolingbrook, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $329 – making Bolingbrook, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bolingbrook, IL

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

73,922

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Bolingbrook, IL 42 km

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Chicago, IL
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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 Bolingbrook, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,369 in Bolingbrook, IL – Bolingbrook, IL comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,553 in Bolingbrook, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bolingbrook, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,773 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,489 in Bolingbrook, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bolingbrook, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,369, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Bolingbrook, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Bolingbrook, IL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.