Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fond du Lac, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Fond du Lac, WI: $986 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 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
48

Cost of Living Index in Fond du Lac, WI
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Fond du Lac, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fond du Lac, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$986

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $986 in Fond du Lac, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fond du Lac, WI $986

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,651 in Fond du Lac, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fond du Lac, WI $1,651

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,316 in Fond du Lac, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fond du Lac, WI $2,316

Chicago, IL costs about 208% more than Fond du Lac, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chicago, IL sits 123% above the global median, while Fond du Lac, WI is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$12.53 $12.53

65.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$67.7 $67.7

31.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.02 $8.02

64.46%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.04 $4.04

40.10%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.93 $2.93

-9.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.25 $2.25

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.90 $3.90

76.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.13 $6.13

44.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.77 $0.77

62.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.68 $2.68

38.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.92 $2.92

84.59%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.15 $3.15

50.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.78 $16.78

-17.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.31 $11.31

27.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.99 $12.99

41.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.37 $4.37

19.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 $1.66

19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.43 $3.43

18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.08 $6.08

-18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.74 $4.74

-43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.61 $2.61

1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.97 $0.97

130.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.78 $1.78

75.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.20 $11.20

23.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.16 $8.16

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

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

$9.98 $9.98

-68.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$19.79 $19.79

26.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.5K $24.5K

42.73%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.30%

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

$194 $194

$99.4 $99.4

95.63%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$37.66 $37.66

84.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$51.0 $51.0

20.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.82 $11.82

50.68%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,492 $1,492

20.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.6 $56.6

18.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.39 $47.39

10.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.5 $88.5

14.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$227 $227

-36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,189 $1,189

112.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,472 $1,472

221.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,022 $2,022

107.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,007 $2,007

37.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,964 $2,964

66.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fond du Lac, WI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fond du Lac, WI

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fond du Lac, WI

$350 * 35.5% 21.7% $97

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fond du Lac, WI

$225 22.8% 34.7% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fond du Lac, WI

$188 19.1% 42.2% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fond du Lac, WI

$189 19.1% 15.1% $25

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fond du Lac, WI

$10 * 1% 89.3% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fond du Lac, WI

$24 * 2.4% 71.7% $60

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,189 in Fond du Lac, 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 66% 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 $68 in Fond du Lac, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $350 – making Fond du Lac, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fond du Lac, WI

🕒 Local time

22:29 10:29 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

43,021

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Fond du Lac, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $986 in Fond du Lac, WI – Fond du Lac, WI comes out roughly 68% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,479 in Fond du Lac, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fond du Lac, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,189 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $68 in Fond du Lac, WI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Fond du Lac, WI, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Fond du Lac, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fond du Lac, WI – 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 Fond du Lac, 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.