Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and La Crosse, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in La Crosse, WI: $2,217 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 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
106

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
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La Crosse, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,217

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,217 in La Crosse, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
La Crosse, WI $2,217

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,376 in La Crosse, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
La Crosse, WI $3,376

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,535 in La Crosse, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
La Crosse, WI $4,535

Chicago, IL costs about 37% more than La Crosse, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and La Crosse, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, La Crosse, WI by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.24 $15.24

35.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$69.5 $69.5

28.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.83 $10.83

21.79%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.77 $5.77

-1.91%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.10 $2.10

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.18 $1.18

93.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.42 $4.42

55.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.99 $5.99

47.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.73 $0.73

71.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.45 $2.45

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.58 $4.58

17.69%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.48 $2.48

91.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.19 $10.19

35.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.09 $11.09

29.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.42 $16.42

11.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.93 $4.93

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.11 $1.11

78.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.21 $3.21

26.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.22 $5.22

-4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.96 $1.96

36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.35 $2.35

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.01 $2.01

11.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.72 $1.72

81.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.93 $9.93

39.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.81 $10.81

37.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.84 $1.84

38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.05 $2.05

71.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.99 $0.99

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$35.33 $35.33

108.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.52 $3.52

-9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.82 $1.82

-23.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$45.84 $45.84

-45.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.0K $33.0K

6.25%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.4K $24.4K

9.13%

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

$194 $194

$208 $208

-6.50%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.6 $54.6

27.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.7 $65.7

-6.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.79 $40.79

17.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$3.89 $3.89

602.83%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.96 $11.96

48.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$888 $888

102.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$63.3 $63.3

5.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$63.6 $63.6

-18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$77.5 $77.5

31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$118 $118

22.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$774 $774

226.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,017 $1,017

55.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,196 $2,196

115.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,917 $1,917

40.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,972 $1,972

112.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,965 $1,965

40.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,185 $4,185

17.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.9% 35.6% $561

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

La Crosse, WI

$340 15.3% 24.1% $108

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

La Crosse, WI

$271 12.2% 21.5% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.8% 0.8% $2.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

La Crosse, WI

$145 6.5% 11.6% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.3% 44.4% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

La Crosse, WI

$65 2.9% 22.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $774 in La Crosse, 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 18% 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 $69 in La Crosse, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $340 – making La Crosse, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🕒 Local time

16:58 4:58 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

52,680

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL La Crosse, WI 370 km

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Chicago, IL
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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 La Crosse, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,217 in La Crosse, WI – La Crosse, WI comes out roughly 27% 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 $3,326 in La Crosse, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Crosse, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $774 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $69 in La Crosse, WI. 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 La Crosse, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,217, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In La Crosse, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Crosse, 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 La Crosse, 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.