Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Green Bay, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Green Bay, WI: $2,027 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 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
97

Cost of Living Index in Green Bay, WI
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Green Bay, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Green Bay, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,027

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,027 in Green Bay, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Green Bay, WI $2,027

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,769 in Green Bay, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Green Bay, WI $2,769

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,511 in Green Bay, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Green Bay, WI $3,511

Chicago, IL costs about 50% more than Green Bay, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Green Bay, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Green Bay, WI by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.13 $14.13

46.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$60.3 $60.3

48.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.77 $8.77

50.40%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.22 $5.22

8.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.51 $2.51

5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.80 $1.80

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.10 $4.10

67.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.89 $5.89

50.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.79 $0.79

58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.76 $2.76

34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.01 $5.01

7.58%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.51 $3.51

35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.04 $13.04

6.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.64 $10.64

35.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.31 $10.31

78.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.09 $5.09

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.99 $3.99

1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.54 $4.54

9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.21 $2.21

20.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.24 $3.24

-17.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.98 $1.98

13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.02 $2.02

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.70 $10.70

29.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$20.07 $20.07

-25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.05 $2.05

23.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.83 $3.83

-8.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$40.94 $40.94

79.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.03 $1.03

16.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.18%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.79%

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

$194 $194

$171 $171

13.50%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$40.49 $40.49

71.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$51.2 $51.2

20.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.74 $40.74

17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.81 $11.81

50.80%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,528 $1,528

17.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.9 $54.9

22.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.49 $35.49

46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.7 $89.7

13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,177 $1,177

114.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$948 $948

66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,738 $1,738

172.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,159 $1,159

132.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,621 $2,621

59.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,999 $1,999

38.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,660 $3,660

34.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.38

6.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Green Bay, WI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Green Bay, WI

$948 46.8% 39.9% $630

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Green Bay, WI

$370 18.3% 17.3% $77

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Green Bay, WI

$252 12.4% 27.1% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Green Bay, WI

$263 13% 19.2% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Green Bay, WI

$81 * 4% 50.6% $83

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Green Bay, WI

$49 * 2.4% 47.4% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Green Bay, WI

$64 3.2% 22.9% $19

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 $1,177 in Green Bay, 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 35% 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 $60 in Green Bay, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $370 – making Green Bay, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Green Bay, WI

🕒 Local time

03:06 3:06 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

101,412

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Green Bay, WI 290 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 Green Bay, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,027 in Green Bay, WI – Green Bay, WI comes out roughly 33% 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 $3,040 in Green Bay, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Green Bay, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,177 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Green Bay, WI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Green Bay, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,027, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Green Bay, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Green Bay, 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 Green Bay, 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.