Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Oak Lawn, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Oak Lawn, IL: $2,586 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Oak Lawn, IL
Learn more

Oak Lawn, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Oak Lawn, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Oak Lawn, IL $2,586

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,492 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Oak Lawn, IL $3,492

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,398 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Oak Lawn, IL $4,398

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Oak Lawn, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Oak Lawn, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Oak Lawn, IL by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$15.26 $15.26

35.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$62.8 $62.8

43.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$7.77 $7.77

66.54%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.43 $5.43

3.13%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.16 $2.16

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.13 $1.13

100.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.14 $5.14

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.15 $5.15

71.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.93 $0.93

36.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.37 $2.37

60.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.41 $3.41

55.43%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.76 $3.76

26.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.16 $11.16

25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.61 $8.61

69.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.18 $13.18

42.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.25 $3.25

59.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.26 $3.26

20.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.29 $3.29

50.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.15 $2.15

28.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.11 $1.11

148.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.06 $2.06

7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.04 $2.04

46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.87 $9.87

42.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.96 $9.96

53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.06 $2.06

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.32 $3.32

5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.05 $2.05

20.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$49.95 $49.95

49.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$5.38 $5.38

-37.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.82 $2.82

-49.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$17.46 $17.46

39.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.12 $1.12

12.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$15.9K $15.9K

120.38%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.0K $27.0K

-3.60%

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

$193 $193

$220 $220

-12.39%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$53.0 $53.0

28.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.1 $66.1

-7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.21 $42.21

28.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$20.35 $20.35

-12.83%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,336 $1,336

23.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$12.6K $12.6K

145.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$47.58 $47.58

38.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$25.39 $25.39

101.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$58.0 $58.0

72.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$50.8 $50.8

177.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,601 $1,601

52.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,432 $1,432

17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,851 $2,851

65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,945 $1,945

43.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,575 $2,575

59.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,733 $2,733

-3.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.82

-0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Oak Lawn, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Oak Lawn, IL

$1.4K 55.4% 14.7% $246

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Oak Lawn, IL

$313 12.1% 30.3% $136

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Oak Lawn, IL

$260 10% 24.4% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Oak Lawn, IL

$339 13.1% 5.2% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Oak Lawn, IL

$82 3.2% 49.3% $79

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Oak Lawn, IL

$78 3% 18.4% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Oak Lawn, IL

$83 3.2% 7.5% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,601 in Oak Lawn, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $63.0 in Oak Lawn, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $313 – making Oak Lawn, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Oak Lawn, IL

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

58,362

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Oak Lawn, IL 21 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Oak Lawn, IL

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 Oak Lawn, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,879 in Oak Lawn, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 43% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $63.0 in Oak Lawn, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,586 in Oak Lawn, 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 $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Oak Lawn, IL. 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.