Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Parkersburg, WV

For one person, living is cheaper in Parkersburg, WV: $1,896 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 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
91

Cost of Living Index in Parkersburg, WV
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Parkersburg, WV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Parkersburg, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$1,896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Parkersburg, WV

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 Parkersburg, WV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,896 in Parkersburg, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Parkersburg, WV $1,896

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,741 in Parkersburg, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Parkersburg, WV $2,741

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,587 in Parkersburg, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Parkersburg, WV $3,587

Chicago, IL costs about 60% more than Parkersburg, WV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Parkersburg, WV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Parkersburg, WV by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.30 $14.30

44.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$57.8 $57.8

54.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.51 $9.51

38.70%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.26 $4.26

32.86%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.93 $1.93

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$2.79 $2.79

146.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.41 $4.41

100.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.73 $0.73

71.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.81 $2.81

32.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.76 $3.76

43.35%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$1.87 $1.87

153.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.19 $11.19

23.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$24.44 $24.44

-41.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.62 $16.62

10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.83 $5.83

-10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.94 $1.94

2.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.88 $2.88

40.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.26 $5.26

-5.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.67 $1.67

59.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.76 $2.76

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.75 $1.75

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.64 $1.64

90.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$7.26 $7.26

90.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.56 $19.56

-23.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.82 $1.82

92.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.02 $1.02

138.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$49.68 $49.68

48.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.12 $5.12

-37.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.21 $1.21

14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$15.03 $15.03

66.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.93 $0.93

29.03%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.55%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.61%

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

$194 $194

$198 $198

-1.77%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.5 $50.5

37.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$57.8 $57.8

6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$11.59 $11.59

313.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.14 $14.14

25.95%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$543 $543

230.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$6,599 $6,599

384.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.48 $40.48

65.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.87 $47.87

8.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$71.2 $71.2

42.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$894 $894

182.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$693 $693

127.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,376 $1,376

244.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$988 $988

172.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,205 $1,205

247.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,188 $1,188

133.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$1,638 $1,638

200.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.74

1.04%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Parkersburg, WV: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Parkersburg, WV

$693 36.6% 56.1% $885

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Parkersburg, WV

$431 22.7% 3.7% $16

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Parkersburg, WV

$234 12.4% 32% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Parkersburg, WV

$306 16.2% 5.9% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Parkersburg, WV

$126 6.6% 23.4% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Parkersburg, WV

$65 3.4% 30.4% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Parkersburg, WV

$40 2.1% 52.3% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $894 in Parkersburg, WV. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $58 in Parkersburg, WV. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $431 – making Parkersburg, WV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Parkersburg, WV

🕒 Local time

15:51 3:51 PM

16:51 4:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

29,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Parkersburg, WV 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Parkersburg, WV

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 Parkersburg, WV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,896 in Parkersburg, WV – Parkersburg, WV comes out roughly 38% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,843 in Parkersburg, WV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Parkersburg, WV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $894 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $58 in Parkersburg, WV. 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 Parkersburg, WV, where all-in costs run around $1,896, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Parkersburg, WV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Parkersburg, WV – 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 Parkersburg, WV. 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.