Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Eagan

For one person, living is cheaper in Eagan: $2,564 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Eagan
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Eagan Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Eagan

🇺🇸 United States

$2,564

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Eagan

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,564 in Eagan, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Eagan $2,564

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,756 in Eagan, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Eagan $3,756

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,948 in Eagan, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Eagan $4,948

Chicago, IL costs about 20% more than Eagan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Eagan sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Eagan by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.00 $19.00

7.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$68.7 $68.7

29.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.11 $12.11

6.11%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$6.30 $6.30

-8.25%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.33 $2.33

17.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.48 $1.48

52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.45 $4.45

54.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.06 $8.06

14.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.91 $0.91

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.96 $2.96

19.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.56 $6.56

-17.99%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.15 $3.15

44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$8.77 $8.77

55.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.47 $13.47

4.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.93 $17.93

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.87 $4.87

5.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.80 $1.80

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.03 $2.03

91.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.23 $5.23

-7.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.08 $3.08

-8.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.88 $1.88

42.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.69 $1.69

22.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.41 $2.41

25.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.35 $9.35

48.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.14 $16.14

-6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.90 $2.90

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.52 $5.52

-37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.01 $2.01

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.0 $60.0

25.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.03 $5.03

-36.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.74 $1.74

-2.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.01 $24.01

3.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.86 $0.86

48.84%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.9K $29.9K

19.80%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.3K $24.3K

10.35%

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

$192 $192

$180 $180

6.43%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$57.9 $57.9

20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$52.4 $52.4

18.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.65 $40.65

17.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$21.28 $21.28

27.35%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.06 $16.06

11.02%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,330 $1,330

36.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$30.9K $30.9K

31.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$37.61 $37.61

75.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$18.69 $18.69

174.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$77.4 $77.4

33.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$108 $108

32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,603 $1,603

57.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,292 $1,292

25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,538 $2,538

90.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,135 $2,135

28.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,878 $2,878

44.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,014 $2,014

35.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,450 $5,450

-9.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.77

0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Eagan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Eagan

$1.3K 50.4% 20.3% $329

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Eagan

$401 15.6% 8.7% $38

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Eagan

$318 12.4% 7.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Eagan

$291 11.3% 10.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Eagan

$109 4.2% 33.6% $55

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Eagan

$82 3.2% 15.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Eagan

$73 2.8% 12.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,603 in Eagan. 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 11% higher in Eagan, 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 $69 in Eagan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $401 – making Eagan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Eagan

🕒 Local time

06:44 6:44 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

64,206

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Eagan 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Eagan

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 Eagan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,564 in Eagan – Eagan comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,846 in Eagan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Eagan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,603 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $69 in Eagan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,564 in Eagan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Eagan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 17% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.