Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and River Falls, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in River Falls, WI: $2,515 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in River Falls, WI
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River Falls, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

River Falls, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,515 in River Falls, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
River Falls, WI $2,515

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,887 in River Falls, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
River Falls, WI $3,887

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,259 in River Falls, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
River Falls, WI $5,259

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than River Falls, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and River Falls, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, River Falls, WI by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$22.17 $22.17

-6.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$82.0 $82.0

10.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.91 $11.91

8.65%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.49 $6.49

-13.71%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.07 $3.07

-14.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.36 $2.36

-3.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.94 $6.94

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.10 $8.10

9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.83 $0.83

53.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.67 $3.67

3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.68 $6.68

-20.66%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.76 $3.76

26.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.23 $10.23

36.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.48 $13.48

8.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.96 $18.96

-1.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.89 $5.89

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.87 $1.87

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.71 $6.71

-41.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.09 $5.09

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.34 $4.34

-36.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$4.09 $4.09

-32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.34 $2.34

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.64 $2.64

12.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.72 $12.72

10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.82 $15.82

-3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.77 $2.77

-6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.57 $5.57

-37.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.10 $2.10

17.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.88 $4.88

-31.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.75 $1.75

-18.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$23.56 $23.56

3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.3K $30.3K

15.48%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.27%

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

$193 $193

$181 $181

6.65%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$54.8 $54.8

24.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$70.3 $70.3

-12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$39.56 $39.56

36.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$16.10 $16.10

10.19%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,365 $1,365

21.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$36.8K $36.8K

-15.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$56.8 $56.8

16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$43.63 $43.63

17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$98.8 $98.8

1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$104 $104

35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,534 $1,534

59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,161 $1,161

44.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,835 $2,835

66.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,226 $2,226

25.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,548 $2,548

61.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,038 $2,038

30.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for River Falls, WI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

River Falls, WI

$1.2K 46.2% 30.8% $517

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

River Falls, WI

$454 18% 0.9% $4.1

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

River Falls, WI

$364 14.5% 5.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

River Falls, WI

$306 12.2% 5.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

River Falls, WI

$137 5.4% 15.3% $25

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

River Falls, WI

$22 * 0.9% 76.9% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

River Falls, WI

$72 2.9% 19.9% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,534 in River Falls, WI. 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 $82.0 in River Falls, WI. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $454 in River Falls, WI – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 River Falls, WI

🕒 Local time

00:22 12:22 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

16,618

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL River Falls, WI 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
River Falls, 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 River Falls, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,515 in River Falls, WI – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,772 in River Falls, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $82.0 in River Falls, WI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,515 in River Falls, WI. 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 $2,515 in River Falls, WI to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with River Falls, WI. 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.