Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Plainfield, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Plainfield, IL: $2,628 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Plainfield, IL
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Plainfield, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Plainfield, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,628 in Plainfield, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Plainfield, IL $2,628

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,658 in Plainfield, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Plainfield, IL $3,658

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,687 in Plainfield, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Plainfield, IL $4,687

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Plainfield, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Plainfield, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Plainfield, IL by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$15.12 $15.12

34.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$73.8 $73.8

20.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.20 $12.20

5.33%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.23 $5.23

10.52%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.77 $2.77

-1.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.30 $2.30

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.16 $6.16

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.06 $8.06

14.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.81 $0.81

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.86 $2.86

24.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.16 $3.16

70.25%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.78 $3.78

20.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$8.77 $8.77

55.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$9.06 $9.06

55.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$12.46 $12.46

44.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.36 $4.36

18.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.09 $3.09

25.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.24 $2.24

115.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.05 $2.05

37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.28 $2.28

17.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.99 $1.99

4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.21 $1.21

150.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$6.93 $6.93

100.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.02 $10.02

50.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.17 $2.17

21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.03 $3.03

13.86%

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

$2.53 $2.53

25.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.59 $1.59

6.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.11 $1.11

15.32%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$24.8K $24.8K

44.31%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.25%

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

$192 $192

$171 $171

12.51%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$44.57 $44.57

56.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$51.1 $51.1

21.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.22 $11.22

58.91%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,019 $1,019

77.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$16.6K $16.6K

145.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$48.95 $48.95

35.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$89.9 $89.9

14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$120 $120

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,583 $1,583

59.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,626 $1,626

-0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,420 $2,420

99.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,424 $2,424

12.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$6,945 $6,945

-29.10%

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 Plainfield, IL: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Plainfield, IL

$1.6K 61.9% 0.3% $4.8

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Plainfield, IL

$299 11.4% 31.9% $140

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Plainfield, IL

$288 10.9% 16.4% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Plainfield, IL

$266 10.1% 17.7% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Plainfield, IL

$116 * 4.4% 28.9% $47

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Plainfield, IL

$10 * 0.4% 89.2% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Plainfield, IL

$22 * 0.9% 73.1% $61

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 $1,583 in Plainfield, IL. 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 41% higher in Plainfield, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Plainfield, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $299 – making Plainfield, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Plainfield, IL

🕒 Local time

02:33 2:33 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

40,466

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Plainfield, IL 57 km

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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 Plainfield, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,628 in Plainfield, IL – Plainfield, IL comes out roughly 14% 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 $3,943 in Plainfield, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plainfield, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,583 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Plainfield, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,628 in Plainfield, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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