Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Madison, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Madison, WI: $2,931 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 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
140

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,931

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,931 in Madison, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Madison, WI $2,931

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,224 in Madison, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Madison, WI $4,224

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,517 in Madison, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Madison, WI $5,517

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Madison, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Madison, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Madison, WI by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.92 $19.92

2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$65.0 $65.0

36.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$13.17 $13.17

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.66 $5.66

2.12%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.02 $3.02

-9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.45 $2.45

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.62 $6.62

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.72 $7.72

19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.17 $3.17

11.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.18 $4.18

28.71%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.72 $3.72

22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$14.49 $14.49

-5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$12.15 $12.15

15.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$20.36 $20.36

-11.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.59 $4.59

12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.95 $4.95

-21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.67 $4.67

3.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.61 $2.61

7.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.83 $2.83

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.08 $2.08

-0.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.24 $2.24

35.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.89 $10.89

27.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.73 $15.73

-4.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.68 $2.68

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.40 $4.40

-21.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$65.5 $65.5

14.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.91 $3.91

-18.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.96 $1.96

-13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$44.61 $44.61

-44.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.3K $30.3K

18.07%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.09%

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

$192 $192

$266 $266

-27.76%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$45.57 $45.57

52.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$80.5 $80.5

-22.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$51.6 $51.6

-7.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$10.12 $10.12

167.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.70 $14.70

21.29%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,594 $1,594

13.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.6K $21.6K

87.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$63.4 $63.4

4.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$46.65 $46.65

10.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$108 $108

-3.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$121 $121

17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,723 $1,723

46.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,465 $1,465

10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$3,146 $3,146

53.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,438 $2,438

12.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$4,429 $4,429

-6.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,478 $2,478

9.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,430 $4,430

11.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.81

-0.44%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Madison, WI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Madison, WI

$1.5K 50% 9.6% $156

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Madison, WI

$416 14.2% 5.2% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Madison, WI

$337 11.5% 2% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Madison, WI

$392 13.4% 21% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Madison, WI

$152 5.2% 6.8% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Madison, WI

$87 3% 10% $9.7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Madison, WI

$81 2.8% 2.9% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,723 in Madison, 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 11% 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 $65 in Madison, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $416 – making Madison, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🕒 Local time

08:22 8:22 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

248,951

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Madison, WI 200 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 Madison, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,931 in Madison, WI – Madison, WI comes out roughly 5% 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 $4,396 in Madison, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,723 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $65 in Madison, WI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,931 in Madison, WI to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Madison, 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.