Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Norwalk, CT

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,059 in Norwalk, CT, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Norwalk, CT outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
194

Cost of Living Index in Norwalk, CT
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Norwalk, CT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Norwalk, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$4,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Norwalk, CT

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 Norwalk, CT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,059 in Norwalk, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Norwalk, CT $4,059

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,652 in Norwalk, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Norwalk, CT $5,652

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,246 in Norwalk, CT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Norwalk, CT $7,246

Chicago, IL is about 25% cheaper than Norwalk, CT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Norwalk, CT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Norwalk, CT by 198%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.19 $20.19

2.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.6 $78.6

13.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.06 $12.06

9.37%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.45 $5.45

3.85%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.56 $2.56

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.27 $2.27

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.09 $8.09

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.98 $8.98

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.15 $1.15

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.25 $4.25

-12.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.33 $4.33

24.48%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.68 $3.68

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.33 $16.33

-15.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.43 $16.43

-12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.88 $19.88

-7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.34 $2.34

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.68 $3.68

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.01 $5.01

-0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.96 $3.96

-32.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.19 $3.19

-16.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.95 $1.95

14.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.36 $2.36

32.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$13.08 $13.08

5.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$21.22 $21.22

-29.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.08 $2.08

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.35 $3.35

4.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.73 $1.73

40.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$69.1 $69.1

6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.04 $2.04

55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.20 $2.20

-36.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$41.55 $41.55

-39.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.03 $1.03

16.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$22.6K $22.6K

54.87%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.97%

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

$194 $194

$245 $245

-20.64%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$61.9 $61.9

12.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.8 $50.8

21.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$30.13 $30.13

58.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$30.32 $30.32

-9.83%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.78 $14.78

20.50%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,012 $2,012

-10.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$33.8K $33.8K

-5.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.22 $49.22

36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$20.04 $20.04

160.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$117 $117

-13.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,486 $2,486

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,603 $2,603

-39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,264 $4,264

11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$4,037 $4,037

-33.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,935 $3,935

6.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,812 $3,812

-27.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,225 $5,225

-5.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.9

15.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Norwalk, CT: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Norwalk, CT

$2.6K 64.1% 65% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Norwalk, CT

$470 11.6% 5.2% $23

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Norwalk, CT

$341 8.4% 1.2% $4.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Norwalk, CT

$358 8.8% 9.9% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Norwalk, CT

$138 3.4% 15.8% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Norwalk, CT

$89 2.2% 4.7% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Norwalk, CT

$60 1.5% 28.5% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,486 in Norwalk, CT. 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 6% higher in Norwalk, CT, 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 $79 in Norwalk, CT. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $470 in Norwalk, CT – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Norwalk, CT

🕒 Local time

09:24 9:24 AM

10:24 10:24 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

85,603

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Norwalk, CT 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Norwalk, CT

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 Norwalk, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $4,059 in Norwalk, CT – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $6,088 in Norwalk, CT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,486 in Norwalk, CT. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Norwalk, CT, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Norwalk, CT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $4,059 in Norwalk, CT. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $4,059 in Norwalk, CT. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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