Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Galesburg, IL: $2,486 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Galesburg, IL
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Galesburg, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Galesburg, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,486

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,486 in Galesburg, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Galesburg, IL $2,486

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,648 in Galesburg, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Galesburg, IL $3,648

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,809 in Galesburg, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Galesburg, IL $4,809

Chicago, IL costs about 26% more than Galesburg, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Galesburg, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Galesburg, IL by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.56 $20.56

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$90.1 $90.1

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.07 $13.07

-0.99%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.80 $5.80

-3.45%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.63 $2.63

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.31 $2.31

-1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.85 $6.85

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.98 $8.98

-1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.85 $0.85

49.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.79 $1.79

112.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.07 $2.07

156.04%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.88 $2.88

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$7.20 $7.20

93.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.28 $8.28

76.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$11.51 $11.51

63.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.68 $2.68

93.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.97 $2.97

32.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.72 $2.72

82.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.94 $1.94

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.78 $1.78

55.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.88 $1.88

18.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.25 $1.25

138.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$14.25 $14.25

-1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.76 $14.76

3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.57 $2.57

0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.51 $3.51

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.99 $1.99

24.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.32 $3.32

0.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.37 $1.37

4.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.76 $24.76

-1.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.20 $1.20

5.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.2K $35.2K

-0.65%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.60%

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

$193 $193

$192 $192

0.53%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$70.4 $70.4

-3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$61.9 $61.9

-1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$37.33 $37.33

44.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.77 $17.77

-0.17%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,692 $1,692

-2.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$67.8 $67.8

-2.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$52.0 $52.0

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$99.1 $99.1

1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$146 $146

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,611 $1,611

51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,290 $1,290

30.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,544 $2,544

85.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,109 $2,109

32.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,062 $1,062

286.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,068 $1,068

148.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

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 19, 2026

Last update for Galesburg, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Galesburg, IL

$1.3K 51.9% 23.1% $388

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Galesburg, IL

$272 10.9% 39.6% $178

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Galesburg, IL

$345 13.9% 0.5% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Galesburg, IL

$324 13% 0.5% $1.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Galesburg, IL

$164 6.6% 1.9% $3

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Galesburg, IL

$18 * 0.7% 81% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Galesburg, IL

$73 2.9% 18.7% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,611 in Galesburg, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $90.0 in Galesburg, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $272 in Galesburg, IL – so Galesburg, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Galesburg, IL

🕒 Local time

16:05 4:05 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

30,052

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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 Galesburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,486 in Galesburg, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,729 in Galesburg, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galesburg, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $90.0 in Galesburg, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,486 in Galesburg, IL. 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 $2,486 in Galesburg, IL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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