Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Springfield, IL: $2,641 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, IL
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Springfield, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Springfield, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,641 in Springfield, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Springfield, IL $2,641

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,964 in Springfield, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Springfield, IL $3,964

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,286 in Springfield, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Springfield, IL $5,286

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Springfield, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Springfield, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Springfield, IL by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$14.61 $14.61

47.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$42.89 $42.89

106.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.13 $10.13

30.31%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.20 $5.20

7.50%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.95 $1.95

34.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.58 $1.58

43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$2.94 $2.94

141.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$4.08 $4.08

126.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.75 $0.75

70.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.32 $3.32

15.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$8.91 $8.91

-43.10%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.09 $3.09

56.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$19.08 $19.08

-25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$17.06 $17.06

-14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$32.40 $32.40

-42.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$8.62 $8.62

-39.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.24 $1.24

61.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$8.64 $8.64

-53.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.54 $5.54

-10.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.24 $3.24

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.48 $4.48

-40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.97 $1.97

8.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.63 $1.63

89.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$9.90 $9.90

62.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$11.03 $11.03

37.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.24 $1.24

111.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.62 $1.62

113.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.24 $1.24

99.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$39.50 $39.50

90.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$5.68 $5.68

-43.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.09 $1.09

27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$18.14 $18.14

37.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.95 $0.95

30.53%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.4K $36.4K

2.13%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.30%

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

$192 $192

$233 $233

-17.36%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$93.2 $93.2

-27.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$64.9 $64.9

-6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$49.49 $49.49

8.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$19.74 $19.74

41.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$12.57 $12.57

41.61%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$931 $931

66.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$105 $105

-35.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$54.9 $54.9

-7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$125 $125

-19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$138 $138

3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$915 $915

160.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,164 $1,164

47.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$1,889 $1,889

147.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,158 $2,158

26.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$3,133 $3,133

32.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,184 $1,184

127.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,882 $3,882

26.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.55

3.36%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Springfield, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Springfield, IL

$1.2K 44.1% 32% $548

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Springfield, IL

$519 19.6% 15% $67

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Springfield, IL

$247 9.3% 30.1% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Springfield, IL

$391 14.8% 21.7% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Springfield, IL

$191 7.2% 16.7% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Springfield, IL

$56 2.1% 41.6% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Springfield, IL

$75 2.8% 16.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $915 in Springfield, 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 26% 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $43.00 in Springfield, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $451 in Chicago, IL vs $519 in Springfield, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Springfield, IL

🕒 Local time

10:47 10:47 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

116,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Springfield, IL 290 km

From you

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 Springfield, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,641 in Springfield, IL – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,962 in Springfield, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $43.00 in Springfield, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Springfield, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,641, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Springfield, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,641 in Springfield, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Springfield, 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.