Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Neenah, WI: $1,989 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 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
96

Cost of Living Index in Neenah, WI
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Neenah, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Neenah, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,989

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,989 in Neenah, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Neenah, WI $1,989

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,424 in Neenah, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Neenah, WI $3,424

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,859 in Neenah, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Neenah, WI $4,859

Chicago, IL costs about 53% more than Neenah, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Neenah, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Neenah, WI by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.96 $13.96

48.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.7 $75.7

17.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.26 $9.26

42.44%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.22 $5.22

8.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.28 $2.28

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.48 $1.48

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.94 $5.94

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.46 $8.46

4.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.83 $0.83

50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.77 $2.77

34.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.92 $2.92

84.59%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.51 $3.51

35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.81 $7.81

77.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.39 $11.39

26.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.64 $10.64

72.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.67 $5.67

-7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 $1.67

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.56 $3.56

14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.57 $5.57

-10.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.78 $1.78

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.20 $3.20

-16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.61 $1.61

39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.79 $11.79

17.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.20 $8.20

81.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.77 $1.77

43.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$34.66 $34.66

112.15%

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

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.8K $24.8K

41.08%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.32%

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

$194 $194

$173 $173

12.08%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.2 $51.2

35.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$52.2 $52.2

18.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.91 $11.91

49.54%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,479 $1,479

21.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.6 $56.6

18.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.4 $89.4

13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,485 $1,485

70.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,018 $1,018

54.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,505 $3,505

35.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,638 $2,638

2.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,903 $1,903

120.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,896 $1,896

46.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,686 $5,686

-13.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Neenah, WI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Neenah, WI

$1K 51.2% 35.5% $560

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Neenah, WI

$298 * 15% 33.4% $149

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Neenah, WI

$264 13.3% 23.5% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Neenah, WI

$277 13.9% 15% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Neenah, WI

$66 * 3.3% 59.9% $98

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Neenah, WI

$42 * 2.1% 54.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Neenah, WI

$24 * 1.2% 71.5% $60

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 $1,485 in Neenah, 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 15% higher in Neenah, WI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Neenah, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $298 – making Neenah, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Neenah, WI

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

25,501

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Neenah, WI 270 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 Neenah, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,989 in Neenah, WI – Neenah, WI comes out roughly 35% 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 $2,983 in Neenah, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Neenah, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,485 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Neenah, 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 Neenah, WI, where all-in costs run around $1,989, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Neenah, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Neenah, WI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Neenah, WI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 35% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.