Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Davenport, IA: $2,001 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Davenport, IA
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Davenport, IA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Davenport, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,001

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Davenport, IA

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 Davenport, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,001 in Davenport, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Davenport, IA $2,001

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,136 in Davenport, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Davenport, IA $3,136

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,270 in Davenport, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Davenport, IA $4,270

Chicago, IL costs about 59% more than Davenport, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Davenport, IA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Davenport, IA by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$19.95 $19.95

8.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$74.5 $74.5

18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$8.55 $8.55

54.39%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.16 $5.16

8.33%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.85 $2.85

-7.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.99 $1.99

13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.07 $6.07

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$7.38 $7.38

25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.77 $0.77

66.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.17 $3.17

21.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.10 $5.10

-0.59%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$2.77 $2.77

74.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$6.50 $6.50

118.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.48 $12.48

17.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$15.51 $15.51

20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.22 $5.22

-0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.43 $1.43

39.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.49 $4.49

-10.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.02 $5.02

-0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.58 $2.58

8.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.60 $2.60

1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.27 $2.27

-6.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.18 $2.18

41.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$7.86 $7.86

104.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.58 $15.58

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.96 $1.96

33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.55 $3.55

-2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.99 $0.99

149.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$22.08 $22.08

240.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.74 $2.74

17.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.57 $0.57

143.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$12.06 $12.06

107.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.88 $0.88

40.91%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$28.5K $28.5K

30.31%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

0.51%

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

$192 $192

$200 $200

-3.98%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$68.7 $68.7

-1.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$72.8 $72.8

-16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$32.23 $32.23

66.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$14.17 $14.17

25.62%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$329 $329

372.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$23.9K $23.9K

31.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$53.2 $53.2

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$35.73 $35.73

42.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$59.0 $59.0

71.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$75.6 $75.6

89.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,447 $1,447

64.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$782 $782

118.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,255 $2,255

107.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,598 $1,598

71.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,555 $1,555

167.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,416 $1,416

90.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,773 $3,773

29.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.26

8.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Davenport, IA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Davenport, IA

$782 39.1% 54.3% $930

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Davenport, IA

$373 18.7% 17.3% $78

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Davenport, IA

$312 15.6% 11.7% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Davenport, IA

$342 17.1% 6.5% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Davenport, IA

$101 5% 38.5% $63

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Davenport, IA

$32 1.6% 66.7% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Davenport, IA

$61 3% 32.1% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,447 in Davenport, IA. 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 30% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $75.0 in Davenport, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $373 – making Davenport, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Davenport, IA

🕒 Local time

06:45 6:45 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

101,724

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Davenport, IA 250 km

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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 Davenport, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,001 in Davenport, IA – roughly 59% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,002 in Davenport, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Davenport, IA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $75.0 in Davenport, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Davenport, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,001, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Davenport, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,001 in Davenport, IA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Davenport, IA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.