Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Burlington, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Burlington, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,106 in Chicago, IL versus $1,790 in Burlington, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,599 in Chicago, IL versus $2,742 in Burlington, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,092 in Chicago, IL versus $3,695 in Burlington, IA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 73% more expensive than in Burlington, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 126% above, Burlington, IA 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 $19.86

$11.54 $11.54

72.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 $88.3

$60.9 $60.9

45.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 $13.23

$9.18 $9.18

44.12%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$5.46 $5.46

7.33%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.95 $1.95

33.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.96 $1.96

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.51 $3.51

100.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 $9.25

$4.58 $4.58

101.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.77 $0.77

74.03%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.59 $2.59

61.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$8.18 $8.18

-32.76%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$3.04 $3.04

54.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.70 $14.70

0.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$13.23 $13.23

9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.69 $19.69

$15.06 $15.06

30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$5.04 $5.04

11.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.67 $1.67

17.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.87 $4.87

-17.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.99 $4.99

1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.99 $2.99

-1.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.44 $3.44

-15.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.81 $1.81

25.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.47 $2.47

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.19 $16.19

$9.03 $9.03

79.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$11.93 $11.93

27.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.69 $1.69

57.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.12 $4.12

-15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.58 $1.58

60.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

$20.47 $20.47

271.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.96 $2.96

6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.78 $1.78

-23.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.66 $22.66

$29.49 $29.49

-23.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$22.9K $22.9K

61.63%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

8.74%

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

$190 $190

$176 $176

7.58%

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

$68.5 $68.5

$52.4 $52.4

30.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$50.3 $50.3

21.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$41.39 $41.39

54.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$12.12 $12.12

50.83%

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

$1,525 $1,525

$716 $716

113.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$23.7K $23.7K

35.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$43.73 $43.73

46.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 $54.4

$30.81 $30.81

76.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$87.2 $87.2

15.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$37.35 $37.35

310.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 $2,421

$766 $766

216.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 $1,690

$709 $709

138.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,584 $4,584

$1,197 $1,197

282.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 $2,782

$1,264 $1,264

120.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 $4,170

$1,023 $1,023

307.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 $2,739

$1,049 $1,049

161.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,777 $4,777

$4,289 $4,289

11.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.16

3.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: August 29, 2026

Last update for Burlington, IA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,421 in Chicago, IL and $766 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 11% 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: $88.0 in Chicago, IL vs $61.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $465 vs $407 per month, with Burlington, IA 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 Burlington, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burlington, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Chicago, IL, 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: $2,421 in Chicago, IL versus $766 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,525 in Chicago, IL versus $716 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,790 in Burlington, IA versus $3,106 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burlington, IA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Burlington, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burlington, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,790 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burlington, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Burlington, IA 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 Burlington, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.