Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Des Plaines, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL: $3,023 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Des Plaines, IL
Learn more

Des Plaines, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,023

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Des Plaines, IL $3,023

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,419 in Des Plaines, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Des Plaines, IL $4,419

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,815 in Des Plaines, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Des Plaines, IL $5,815

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Des Plaines, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Des Plaines, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Des Plaines, IL by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$21.29 $21.29

1.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$89.1 $89.1

-0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$13.10 $13.10

0.76%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.68 $5.68

-1.58%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.61 $2.61

0.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.24 $2.24

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.05 $7.05

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.22 $8.22

12.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.92 $0.92

39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.40 $3.40

12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.20 $4.20

20.71%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.23 $4.23

14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$14.74 $14.74

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.04 $13.04

12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$18.82 $18.82

-0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.61 $4.61

12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.66 $1.66

20.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.16 $4.16

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.92 $4.92

1.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.71 $2.71

2.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.72 $2.72

-2.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.09 $2.09

1.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.45 $2.45

26.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$10.90 $10.90

47.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.97 $14.97

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.57 $2.57

1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.35 $3.35

3.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.96 $1.96

26.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$60.0 $60.0

25.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.29 $3.29

-2.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.36 $1.36

2.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$24.88 $24.88

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.99 $0.99

25.25%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.1K $36.1K

2.87%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

0.32%

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

$192 $192

0.16%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$59.2 $59.2

14.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$76.0 $76.0

-19.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$123 $123

-56.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$39.32 $39.32

-29.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$14.72 $14.72

20.92%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,563 $1,563

-0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$23.7K $23.7K

32.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$64.9 $64.9

4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

-0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$120 $120

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,084 $2,084

14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,548 $1,548

10.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$3,937 $3,937

18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,485 $2,485

10.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$3,279 $3,279

26.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$2,480 $2,480

8.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$6,121 $6,121

-20.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Des Plaines, IL

$1.5K 51.2% 9.6% $164

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Des Plaines, IL

$418 13.8% 7.4% $33

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Des Plaines, IL

$349 11.5% 1.1% $4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Des Plaines, IL

$327 10.8% 1.9% $6.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Des Plaines, IL

$151 5% 7.4% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Des Plaines, IL

$78 2.6% 18.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Des Plaines, IL

$152 5% 70.7% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,084 in Des Plaines, 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 25% higher in Des Plaines, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $89.0 in Des Plaines, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Chicago, IL vs $418 in Des Plaines, IL – so Des Plaines, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Des Plaines, IL

🕒 Local time

16:59 4:59 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

60,675

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Des Plaines, IL 29 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Des Plaines, IL

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 Des Plaines, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,535 in Des Plaines, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $89.0 in Des Plaines, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Des Plaines, IL. 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.