Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Oshkosh, WI: $1,694 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Oshkosh, WI
Learn more

Oshkosh, WI Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Oshkosh, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,694

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,694 in Oshkosh, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Oshkosh, WI $1,694

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,582 in Oshkosh, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Oshkosh, WI $2,582

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,471 in Oshkosh, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Oshkosh, WI $3,471

Chicago, IL costs about 81% more than Oshkosh, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Oshkosh, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Oshkosh, WI by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$13.84 $13.84

47.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$59.6 $59.6

48.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.05 $12.05

6.64%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.48 $5.48

5.47%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.90 $2.90

-5.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.49 $4.49

53.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.79 $6.79

36.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.78 $0.78

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.75 $2.75

29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.89 $2.89

86.16%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.49 $3.49

30.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$7.62 $7.62

79.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.49 $11.49

22.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$10.44 $10.44

72.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.54 $5.54

-6.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.46 $3.46

12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.61 $5.61

-13.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.76 $1.76

59.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.22 $3.22

-17.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.61 $1.61

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.93 $8.93

55.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$8.09 $8.09

86.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.77 $1.77

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.87 $0.87

47.13%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$24.4K $24.4K

46.54%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.42%

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

$192 $192

$172 $172

11.89%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$51.7 $51.7

34.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$51.2 $51.2

21.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$28.25 $28.25

69.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$10.79 $10.79

65.25%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,482 $1,482

22.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$40.13 $40.13

64.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$89.5 $89.5

15.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$954 $954

165.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$746 $746

117.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,928 $1,928

150.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,383 $1,383

97.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,046 $2,046

103.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,015 $2,015

35.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,765 $3,765

30.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.35

6.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Oshkosh, WI: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Oshkosh, WI

$746 44.1% 54% $875

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Oshkosh, WI

$296 * 17.5% 32.7% $144

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Oshkosh, WI

$269 15.9% 21.7% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Oshkosh, WI

$275 16.2% 15.2% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Oshkosh, WI

$58 * 3.4% 64.4% $105

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Oshkosh, WI

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Oshkosh, WI

$50 2.9% 40.3% $34

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $954 in Oshkosh, 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 31% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $60 in Oshkosh, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $296 – making Oshkosh, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Oshkosh, WI

🕒 Local time

00:47 12:47 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

66,083

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Oshkosh, WI 250 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Oshkosh, WI

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 Oshkosh, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $1,694 in Oshkosh, WI – Oshkosh, WI comes out roughly 45% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,540 in Oshkosh, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oshkosh, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $954 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Oshkosh, WI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oshkosh, WI, where all-in costs run around $1,694, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Oshkosh, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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