Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Saint Charles, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Charles, IL: $2,710 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 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
132

Cost of Living Index in Saint Charles, IL
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Saint Charles, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Saint Charles, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,710 in Saint Charles, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Saint Charles, IL $2,710

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,230 in Saint Charles, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Saint Charles, IL $4,230

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,749 in Saint Charles, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Saint Charles, IL $5,749

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Saint Charles, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Saint Charles, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Saint Charles, IL by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$38.02 $38.02

-45.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$99.6 $99.6

-9.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.63 $10.63

21.73%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.85 $6.85

-18.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.37 $3.37

-21.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.07 $3.07

-26.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.03 $7.03

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.54 $7.54

17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.98 $0.98

29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.55 $3.55

7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.23 $4.23

25.30%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.57 $4.57

4.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.33 $12.33

13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.47 $11.47

27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$12.85 $12.85

46.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.08 $5.08

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.01 $1.01

96.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.34 $4.34

-9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.78 $4.78

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.75 $2.75

0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.04 $3.04

-9.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.57 $1.57

41.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.23 $2.23

33.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.41 $11.41

22.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.12 $15.12

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.93 $1.93

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.46 $3.46

1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.02 $2.02

22.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.24 $3.24

3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.64 $1.64

-12.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$32.52 $32.52

-25.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

34.66%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.01%

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

$193 $193

$195 $195

-1.39%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$66.6 $66.6

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$70.9 $70.9

-13.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$43.09 $43.09

25.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.74 $14.74

20.35%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,358 $1,358

21.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

18.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$51.1 $51.1

29.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.30 $39.30

30.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$75.7 $75.7

32.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$131 $131

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,800 $1,800

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,277 $1,277

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,543 $2,543

85.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,472 $2,472

13.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,065 $3,065

33.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,620 $2,620

1.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Saint Charles, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Saint Charles, IL

$1.3K 47.1% 23.9% $401

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Saint Charles, IL

$380 14% 15.4% $69

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Saint Charles, IL

$494 18.2% 43.9% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Saint Charles, IL

$333 12.3% 3.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Saint Charles, IL

$134 4.9% 17.1% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Saint Charles, IL

$20 * 0.7% 79.5% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Saint Charles, IL

$73 2.7% 19% $17

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 $1,800 in Saint Charles, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $100 in Saint Charles, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $380 in Saint Charles, IL – so Saint Charles, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Saint Charles, IL

🕒 Local time

21:34 9:34 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

70,329

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Saint Charles, IL 57 km

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Chicago, IL
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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 Saint Charles, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,710 in Saint Charles, IL – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,065 in Saint Charles, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Charles, IL, 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 $100 in Saint Charles, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,710 in Saint Charles, IL. 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 $2,710 in Saint Charles, IL 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 Saint Charles, IL. 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.