Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Moline, IL: $2,195 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Moline, IL
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Moline, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Moline, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,195

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,195 in Moline, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Moline, IL $2,195

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,245 in Moline, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Moline, IL $3,245

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,295 in Moline, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Moline, IL $4,295

Chicago, IL costs about 38% more than Moline, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Moline, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Moline, IL by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.20 $20.20

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$90.6 $90.6

-1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.34 $8.34

58.15%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.07 $5.07

11.64%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.68 $2.68

-1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.46 $1.46

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.04 $4.04

70.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$3.89 $3.89

127.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.96 $0.96

30.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.70 $3.70

0.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.17 $5.17

4.26%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.32 $3.32

42.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.44 $13.44

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.72 $11.72

22.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.75 $15.75

16.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.97 $4.97

5.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.94 $3.94

3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.94 $4.94

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.71 $2.71

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.72 $2.72

-2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.25 $2.25

-0.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.66 $2.66

17.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.97 $13.97

-1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.26 $15.26

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.82 $1.82

92.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.07 $1.07

127.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$32.05 $32.05

129.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.17 $3.17

0.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.37 $1.37

1.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.24 $25.24

-0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.12 $1.12

7.14%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

-1.63%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.9K $23.9K

11.73%

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

$194 $194

$191 $191

1.69%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$69.2 $69.2

0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.0 $60.0

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$49.55 $49.55

-3.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$39.03 $39.03

-29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.91 $17.91

-0.56%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,836 $1,836

-2.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.9K $23.9K

33.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$52.0 $52.0

0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$92.5 $92.5

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$79.6 $79.6

80.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$967 $967

161.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$921 $921

71.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,410 $1,410

236.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,351 $1,351

99.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,526 $1,526

174.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,522 $1,522

81.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.56

22.48%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Moline, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Moline, IL

$921 42% 41.6% $657

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Moline, IL

$399 18.2% 10.9% $49

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Moline, IL

$292 13.3% 15.3% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Moline, IL

$320 14.6% 1.6% $5.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Moline, IL

$131 6% 20.1% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Moline, IL

$46 2.1% 50.4% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Moline, IL

$85 3.9% 2.2% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $967 in Moline, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $91 in Moline, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $399 in Moline, IL – so Moline, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Moline, IL

🕒 Local time

17:57 5:57 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

42,985

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Moline, IL 240 km

From you

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Moline, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,195 in Moline, IL – Moline, IL comes out roughly 28% 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 $3,292 in Moline, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moline, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $967 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Moline, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,195 in Moline, 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 $2,195 in Moline, IL to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.