Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Edwardsville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Edwardsville, IL: $2,709 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Edwardsville, IL
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Edwardsville, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Edwardsville, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,709

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Edwardsville, IL $2,709

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,793 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Edwardsville, IL $3,793

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,877 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Edwardsville, IL $4,877

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Edwardsville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Edwardsville, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Edwardsville, IL by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$21.46 $21.46

-3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$66.4 $66.4

35.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.60 $11.60

11.55%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.07 $5.07

10.45%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.84 $2.84

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.99 $1.99

14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.41 $5.41

29.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.62 $7.62

15.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.99 $0.99

28.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.35 $3.35

13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.66 $4.66

13.73%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.54 $4.54

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.73 $11.73

19.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.06 $12.06

21.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.58 $14.58

28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.32 $4.32

20.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.97 $3.97

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.47 $4.47

10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.08 $3.08

-10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.41 $2.41

-7.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.11 $2.11

41.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.04 $9.04

55.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.27 $16.27

-6.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.87 $1.87

37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.73 $3.73

-6.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.97 $1.97

25.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$101 $101

-25.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.35 $3.35

-0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.87 $1.87

-23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.51 $29.51

-17.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.98 $0.98

28.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.9K $29.9K

17.18%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.50%

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

$193 $193

$196 $196

-1.71%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$57.4 $57.4

19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$69.6 $69.6

-11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.56 $41.56

30.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.46 $15.46

14.75%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,426 $1,426

15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.9K $24.9K

24.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$52.1 $52.1

26.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$41.41 $41.41

23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$89.3 $89.3

12.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$116 $116

21.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,824 $1,824

34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,340 $1,340

25.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,366 $2,366

99.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,919 $1,919

45.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,030 $3,030

35.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,373 $2,373

11.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,962 $4,962

-1.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Edwardsville, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Edwardsville, IL

$1.3K 49.4% 20.1% $338

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Edwardsville, IL

$389 14.4% 13.4% $60

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Edwardsville, IL

$329 12.1% 4.2% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Edwardsville, IL

$323 11.9% 0.2% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Edwardsville, IL

$135 5% 16.5% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Edwardsville, IL

$122 4.5% 27.8% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Edwardsville, IL

$72 2.7% 19.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,824 in Edwardsville, 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 2% higher in Edwardsville, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $66.0 in Edwardsville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $389 – making Edwardsville, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Edwardsville, IL

🕒 Local time

03:30 3:30 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

26,808

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Edwardsville, IL 390 km

From you

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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 Edwardsville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,064 in Edwardsville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $66.0 in Edwardsville, IL. 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,709 in Edwardsville, 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 $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL to $3,139 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 Edwardsville, 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.