Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Newton, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newton, IA: $1,921 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in Newton, IA
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Newton, IA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Newton, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,921

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Newton, IA

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 Newton, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,921 in Newton, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Newton, IA $1,921

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,851 in Newton, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Newton, IA $2,851

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,780 in Newton, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Newton, IA $3,780

Chicago, IL costs about 63% more than Newton, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Newton, IA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Newton, IA by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.69 $19.69

4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$61.6 $61.6

46.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.62 $10.62

21.85%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.95 $4.95

13.13%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.61 $2.61

1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.91 $1.91

18.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.10 $5.10

36.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.61 $7.61

16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.90 $0.90

41.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.22 $3.22

18.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.24 $4.24

25.00%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.74 $2.74

73.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$6.68 $6.68

108.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.62 $12.62

15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.80 $16.80

11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.36 $5.36

-3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.06 $2.06

-3.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.73 $4.73

-16.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.34 $4.34

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.86 $1.86

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.89 $2.89

-4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.00 $2.00

11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.87 $2.87

3.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.19 $9.19

52.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.90 $9.90

54.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.81 $1.81

42.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.84 $5.84

-40.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.19 $2.19

12.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.03 $3.03

10.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.39 $1.39

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.81 $24.81

-1.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.05 $1.05

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.1K $32.1K

9.02%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

6.33%

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

$193 $193

$182 $182

6.14%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$62.8 $62.8

8.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$67.1 $67.1

-8.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$73.8 $73.8

-26.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.78 $14.78

20.03%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$998 $998

65.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.6K $19.6K

58.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$17.97 $17.97

267.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$14.75 $14.75

247.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.8 $80.8

23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$99.4 $99.4

41.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$842 $842

190.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$707 $707

137.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,443 $1,443

226.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,147 $1,147

143.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,734 $2,734

50.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,560 $2,560

3.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Newton, IA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Newton, IA

$707 36.8% 57.8% $970

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Newton, IA

$377 19.6% 16.2% $73

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Newton, IA

$308 16% 10.5% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Newton, IA

$311 16.2% 3.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Newton, IA

$96 5% 40.6% $65

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Newton, IA

$19 * 1% 80.3% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Newton, IA

$103 5.4% 15.3% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $842 in Newton, IA. 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $62.0 in Newton, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $377 – making Newton, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Newton, IA

🕒 Local time

08:58 8:58 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

85,146

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Newton, IA 450 km

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Chicago, IL
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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 Newton, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $1,921 in Newton, IA – roughly 63% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,881 in Newton, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newton, IA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $62.0 in Newton, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Newton, IA, where all-in costs run around $1,921, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Newton, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,921 in Newton, IA to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Newton, IA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.