Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Elkhorn, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Elkhorn, WI: $2,415 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 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
115

Cost of Living Index in Elkhorn, WI
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Elkhorn, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Elkhorn, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,415

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Elkhorn, WI

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,415 in Elkhorn, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Elkhorn, WI $2,415

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,489 in Elkhorn, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Elkhorn, WI $3,489

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,562 in Elkhorn, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Elkhorn, WI $4,562

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than Elkhorn, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Elkhorn, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Elkhorn, WI by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$15.27 $15.27

33.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$78.5 $78.5

12.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.86 $11.86

8.35%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.22 $4.22

36.97%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.51 $2.51

9.16%

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

$3.42 $3.42

101.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.85 $4.85

90.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.70 $0.70

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.69 $2.69

31.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.84 $1.84

192.39%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.60 $4.60

-1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.08 $10.08

35.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.18 $14.18

-0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$12.23 $12.23

47.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.89 $4.89

5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.57 $3.57

8.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.24 $4.24

13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.56 $2.56

9.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.20 $2.20

21.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.97 $1.97

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.03 $2.03

49.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.23 $9.23

50.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.12 $12.12

24.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.64 $2.64

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.51 $2.51

37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.14 $2.14

13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$67.8 $67.8

11.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.20 $3.20

-0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.38 $24.38

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.03 $1.03

24.27%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$35.4K $35.4K

1.06%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.82%

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

$192 $192

$151 $151

26.80%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$68.7 $68.7

1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$49.65 $49.65

25.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$45.10 $45.10

5.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$9.42 $9.42

89.28%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,837 $1,837

-1.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$41.6K $41.6K

-2.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$49.42 $49.42

33.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$45.41 $45.41

13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$64.1 $64.1

61.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$95.3 $95.3

49.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,610 $1,610

57.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,276 $1,276

27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,582 $2,582

86.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,954 $1,954

39.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,407 $2,407

72.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,404 $2,404

13.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,878 $3,878

26.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.75

0.44%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Elkhorn, WI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Elkhorn, WI

$1.3K 52.8% 21.3% $345

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Elkhorn, WI

$352 14.6% 19.9% $87

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Elkhorn, WI

$251 10.4% 27% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Elkhorn, WI

$270 11.2% 16.7% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Elkhorn, WI

$114 4.7% 30.1% $49

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Elkhorn, WI

$88 3.7% 8.9% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Elkhorn, WI

$64 2.7% 23.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,610 in Elkhorn, WI. 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 27% 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 $78 in Elkhorn, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $352 – making Elkhorn, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Elkhorn, WI

🕒 Local time

17:42 5:42 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Elkhorn, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,415 in Elkhorn, WI – Elkhorn, WI comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,623 in Elkhorn, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elkhorn, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,610 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $78 in Elkhorn, WI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,415 in Elkhorn, WI. 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 $2,415 in Elkhorn, WI to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Elkhorn, WI. 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.