Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Evansville, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Evansville, IN: $2,202 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Evansville, IN
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Evansville, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Evansville, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Evansville, IN

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,202 in Evansville, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Evansville, IN $2,202

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,198 in Evansville, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Evansville, IN $3,198

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,194 in Evansville, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Evansville, IN $4,194

Chicago, IL costs about 40% more than Evansville, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Evansville, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Evansville, IN by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.87 $19.87

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$60.6 $60.6

46.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.05 $12.05

6.64%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.08 $5.08

13.78%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.66 $2.66

3.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.93 $1.93

17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.89 $4.89

40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.96 $6.96

32.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.77 $0.77

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.46 $2.46

44.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.78 $4.78

12.55%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.16 $3.16

43.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$9.23 $9.23

47.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$6.80 $6.80

106.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.96 $16.96

6.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.73 $5.73

-9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 $1.46

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.98 $4.98

-22.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.23 $4.23

14.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.41 $2.41

16.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.91 $2.91

-8.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.00 $2.00

3.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.11 $2.11

43.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$11.20 $11.20

24.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.16 $12.16

23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.82 $1.82

44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.58 $2.58

33.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.77 $0.77

215.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.2 $60.2

25.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.97 $1.97

60.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$34.59 $34.59

-28.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.90 $0.90

42.22%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.3K $27.3K

31.02%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.34%

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

$192 $192

$231 $231

-16.88%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$60.7 $60.7

14.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$65.0 $65.0

-4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$28.53 $28.53

67.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$25.19 $25.19

7.58%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.94 $11.94

49.33%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$271 $271

570.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$15.1K $15.1K

168.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$56.7 $56.7

16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$42.36 $42.36

21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$78.5 $78.5

31.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$144 $144

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,350 $1,350

87.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$921 $921

76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,607 $2,607

85.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,458 $1,458

87.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,711 $1,711

143.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,401 $1,401

94.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,378 $3,378

45.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.58

3.04%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Evansville, IN: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Evansville, IN

$921 41.8% 43.2% $700

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Evansville, IN

$340 15.5% 22.6% $99

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Evansville, IN

$313 14.2% 9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Evansville, IN

$357 16.2% 10.2% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Evansville, IN

$145 6.6% 11.6% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Evansville, IN

$74 3.4% 23.8% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Evansville, IN

$52 2.4% 37.2% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,350 in Evansville, IN. 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 46% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $61 in Evansville, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $340 – making Evansville, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Evansville, IN

🕒 Local time

08:13 8:13 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

115,738

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Evansville, IN 430 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 Evansville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,202 in Evansville, IN – Evansville, IN comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,302 in Evansville, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Evansville, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,350 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Evansville, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Evansville, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Evansville, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Evansville, IN. 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.