Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Elgin, IL: $1,057 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $23,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Elgin, IL
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Elgin, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Elgin, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,057

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,057 in Elgin, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Elgin, IL $1,057

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,633 in Elgin, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Elgin, IL $2,633

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,209 in Elgin, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Elgin, IL $4,209

Chicago, IL costs about 187% more than Elgin, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Chicago, IL sits 123% above the global median, while Elgin, IL is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.39 $20.39

1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.1 $59.1

51.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.94 $9.94

32.70%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.08 $4.08

38.73%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.06 $3.06

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.98 $5.98

14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.88 $4.88

81.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.87 $0.87

43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.52 $3.52

5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.15 $4.15

29.88%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.64 $3.64

30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.13 $11.13

24.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.06 $13.06

10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.98 $11.98

53.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.47 $4.47

16.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.53 $2.53

60.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.04 $4.04

23.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.00 $2.00

33.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.01 $2.01

32.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.78 $1.78

25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.40 $2.40

30.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.58 $10.58

30.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.75 $15.75

-5.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.71 $2.71

-6.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.54 $3.54

-0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.05 $4.05

-21.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.04 $2.04

-31.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$27.57 $27.57

-9.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.2K $31.2K

12.40%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.43%

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

$194 $194

$98.8 $98.8

96.80%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.3 $53.3

30.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$49.92 $49.92

23.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.10 $15.10

17.95%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,656 $1,656

8.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.4K $23.4K

36.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.64 $40.64

64.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$50.3 $50.3

3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.6 $99.6

1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,162 $2,162

119.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,820 $1,820

47.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,201 $2,201

90.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,268 $2,268

22.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,966 $3,966

24.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.69

1.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Elgin, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Elgin, IL

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Elgin, IL

$368 34.9% 17.6% $79

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Elgin, IL

$302 28.6% 12.5% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Elgin, IL

$202 19.1% 38% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Elgin, IL

$140 13.2% 14.8% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Elgin, IL

$14 * 1.4% 84.7% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Elgin, IL

$30 * 2.9% 63.9% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 24% 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 in Chicago, IL versus $59 in Elgin, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $368 – making Elgin, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Elgin, IL

🕒 Local time

02:12 2:12 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

112,603

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Elgin, IL 57 km

From you

Chicago, IL
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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 Elgin, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,057 in Elgin, IL – Elgin, IL comes out roughly 65% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,585 in Elgin, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Elgin, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elgin, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Elgin, IL 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 $1,057 in Elgin, IL to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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