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: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $1,768 in Burlington, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $2,638 in Burlington, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $3,508 in Burlington, IA.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Burlington, IA 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$11.67 $11.67

77.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$60.7 $60.7

65.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.89 $8.89

33.41%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.59 $5.59

-0.89%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.96 $1.96

56.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.97 $1.97

25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.58 $3.58

93.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.46 $4.46

82.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.80 $0.80

30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.51 $2.51

55.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$7.92 $7.92

-31.57%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$2.95 $2.95

51.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$14.87 $14.87

-2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$12.97 $12.97

17.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$15.24 $15.24

26.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.01 $5.01

7.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.87 $1.87

-9.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.89 $4.89

-11.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.98 $4.98

-9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.00 $3.00

-14.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.44 $2.44

10.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.85 $1.85

30.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.41 $2.41

8.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$8.85 $8.85

69.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$11.87 $11.87

23.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.75 $1.75

41.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.96 $3.96

-6.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.67 $1.67

52.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

$20.89 $20.89

261.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.59 $3.59

-8.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.67 $1.67

-14.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$29.30 $29.30

-15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.94 $0.94

15.96%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$23.4K $23.4K

35.52%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$24.2K $24.2K

9.35%

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

$183 $183

$171 $171

7.29%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$51.6 $51.6

19.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$52.1 $52.1

24.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$50.7 $50.7

50.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$10.87 $10.87

35.69%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$720 $720

185.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$23.6K $23.6K

63.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$43.38 $43.38

47.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$30.84 $30.84

67.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$66.5 $66.5

46.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$37.57 $37.57

291.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$634 $634

270.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$664 $664

138.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$1,064 $1,064

342.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$1,169 $1,169

132.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

$1,030 $1,030

285.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$1,036 $1,036

154.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

$4,311 $4,311

9.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.52

1.23%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Burlington, IA: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $634 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 10% 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: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $61 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $403 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.

Chicago, IL pays 10% 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: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $634 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,056 in Chicago, IL versus $720 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,768 in Burlington, IA versus $3,051 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 $1,768 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.