Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Evanston, IL: $2,572 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Evanston, IL
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Evanston, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,572

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,572 in Evanston, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Evanston, IL $2,572

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,469 in Evanston, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Evanston, IL $4,469

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,366 in Evanston, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Evanston, IL $6,366

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Evanston, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Evanston, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Evanston, IL by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.30 $20.30

2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$85.2 $85.2

4.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.82 $12.82

2.89%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.83 $5.83

-2.92%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.71 $2.71

-2.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.24 $2.24

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.98 $6.98

-1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.88 $7.88

12.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.73 $3.73

-0.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.27 $4.27

26.23%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.58 $4.58

3.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.66 $13.66

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.34 $14.34

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.96 $19.96

-7.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.23 $5.23

-0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.86 $3.86

5.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.00 $5.00

-0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.77 $2.77

-3.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.94 $2.94

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.08 $2.08

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.37 $2.37

32.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.83 $10.83

27.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.24 $15.24

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.67 $2.67

-4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.34 $3.34

5.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.46 $2.46

-1.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$75.2 $75.2

-2.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.02 $4.02

-20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.42 $1.42

-2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$44.50 $44.50

-43.75%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

16.76%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.28%

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

$194 $194

0.03%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.4 $60.4

14.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$74.0 $74.0

-16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$75.0 $75.0

-36.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$59.6 $59.6

-54.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.74 $14.74

20.83%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,646 $1,646

8.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.6K $31.6K

1.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$63.6 $63.6

5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$50.1 $50.1

4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$108 $108

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$127 $127

13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,688 $1,688

49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,111 $1,111

42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,000 $4,000

18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,055 $3,055

-11.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$14.4K $14.4K

-70.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$12.7K $12.7K

-78.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,558 $5,558

-11.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Evanston, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Evanston, IL

$1.1K 43.2% 29.6% $467

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Evanston, IL

$433 16.9% 3.1% $14

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Evanston, IL

$341 13.3% 1.1% $3.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Evanston, IL

$329 12.8% 1% $3.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Evanston, IL

$157 6.1% 4.3% $7.1

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Evanston, IL

$96 3.7% 3% $2.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Evanston, IL

$105 4.1% 25.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,688 in Evanston, 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 13% higher in Evanston, 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 in Chicago, IL versus $85 in Evanston, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $433 – making Evanston, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Evanston, IL

🕒 Local time

14:59 2:59 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

74,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Evanston, IL 20 km

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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 Evanston, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,572 in Evanston, IL – Evanston, IL comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,858 in Evanston, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Evanston, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,688 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $85 in Evanston, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Evanston, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,572, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Evanston, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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