Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Robinson, IL: $2,383 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Robinson, IL
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Robinson, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Robinson, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,383

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,383 in Robinson, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Robinson, IL $2,383

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,412 in Robinson, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Robinson, IL $3,412

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,441 in Robinson, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Robinson, IL $4,441

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than Robinson, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Robinson, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Robinson, IL by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$10.80 $10.80

91.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$54.9 $54.9

62.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.04 $9.04

45.91%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.99 $4.99

13.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.16 $2.16

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.63 $1.63

39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.11 $6.11

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.11 $7.11

24.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.76 $0.76

64.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.45 $2.45

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.93 $4.93

9.33%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.02 $3.02

56.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.35 $13.35

3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.69 $6.69

115.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$5.86 $5.86

213.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.81 $3.81

37.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.34 $1.34

47.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.50 $3.50

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.25 $4.25

16.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.55 $2.55

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.63 $2.63

1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.22 $2.22

0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.39 $2.39

30.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.06 $9.06

52.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.84 $15.84

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.86 $2.86

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.75 $3.75

-6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$66.3 $66.3

10.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.77 $2.77

14.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.91 $29.91

-16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.94 $0.94

27.66%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.0K $33.0K

6.28%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.86%

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

$194 $194

$180 $180

8.30%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.9 $59.9

15.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.9 $66.9

-7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$38.06 $38.06

25.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.85 $10.85

64.15%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$398 $398

350.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.2K $16.2K

96.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.89 $49.89

34.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.62 $35.62

46.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$61.0 $61.0

66.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$78.6 $78.6

82.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$570 $570

343.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,276 $1,276

23.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,524 $2,524

87.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,117 $2,117

27.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,646 $2,646

58.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,453 $2,453

12.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,018 $5,018

-1.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.4

6.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Robinson, IL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Robinson, IL

$1.3K 53.6% 19.1% $302

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Robinson, IL

$321 13.5% 28.2% $126

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Robinson, IL

$233 9.8% 32.3% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Robinson, IL

$306 12.9% 5.9% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Robinson, IL

$101 4.3% 38.2% $63

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Robinson, IL

$85 3.6% 9.1% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Robinson, IL

$60 2.5% 28.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $570 in Robinson, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $55 in Robinson, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $321 – making Robinson, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Robinson, IL

🕒 Local time

15:35 3:35 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

12,443

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Robinson, IL 320 km

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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 Robinson, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,383 in Robinson, IL – Robinson, IL comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,574 in Robinson, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Robinson, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $570 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $55 in Robinson, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,383 in Robinson, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Robinson, IL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 22% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.