Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Sioux City, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,173 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Sioux City, IA

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 Sioux City, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,173 in Sioux City, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Sioux City, IA $2,173

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,286 in Sioux City, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Sioux City, IA $3,286

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,398 in Sioux City, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Sioux City, IA $4,398

Chicago, IL costs about 40% more than Sioux City, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Sioux City, IA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Sioux City, IA by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.24 $20.24

2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$54.9 $54.9

62.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.43 $10.43

26.46%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.15 $6.15

-7.97%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.19 $2.19

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.72 $1.72

32.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.87 $4.87

41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.73 $5.73

54.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.87 $0.87

43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.88 $2.88

29.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.40 $3.40

58.53%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.52 $3.52

34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.97 $7.97

73.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$7.84 $7.84

83.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.86 $16.86

9.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.66 $4.66

12.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.02 $4.02

1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.17 $4.17

19.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.91 $1.91

39.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.71 $4.71

-43.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.34 $2.34

-4.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.13 $2.13

46.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.22 $9.22

49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.72 $14.72

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.99 $2.99

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.77 $1.77

37.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$48.59 $48.59

51.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.04 $2.04

55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.21 $1.21

14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$19.99 $19.99

25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

33.14%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.28%

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

$194 $194

$167 $167

16.49%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$52.3 $52.3

32.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.8 $69.8

-11.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$101 $101

-52.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$20.21 $20.21

35.28%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.88 $9.88

80.26%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,063 $1,063

68.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.0K $12.0K

165.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$42.83 $42.83

56.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$21.14 $21.14

146.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$79.0 $79.0

28.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$88.8 $88.8

61.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$944 $944

167.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$934 $934

68.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,478 $1,478

220.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,722 $1,722

56.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,622 $1,622

158.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,604 $1,604

72.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,696 $3,696

33.42%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Sioux City, IA

$934 43% 40.8% $644

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8% 23.5% $105

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Sioux City, IA

$319 14.7% 7.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Sioux City, IA

$289 13.3% 11.2% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8% 36.4% $60

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Sioux City, IA

$64 2.9% 31.7% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Sioux City, IA

$121 5.6% 44.6% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $944 in Sioux City, IA. 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 33% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $55 in Sioux City, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $342 – making Sioux City, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🕒 Local time

14:19 2:19 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

85,797

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Sioux City, IA 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Sioux City, IA

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 Sioux City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,173 in Sioux City, IA – Sioux City, IA comes out roughly 28% 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 $3,259 in Sioux City, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sioux City, IA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $944 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 Sioux City, IA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sioux City, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,173, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Sioux City, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sioux City, IA – 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 Sioux City, IA. 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.