Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Stillwater, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Stillwater, MN: $2,847 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 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
138

Cost of Living Index in Stillwater, MN
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Stillwater, MN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Stillwater, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,847

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Stillwater, MN

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 Stillwater, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,847 in Stillwater, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Stillwater, MN $2,847

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,046 in Stillwater, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Stillwater, MN $4,046

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,246 in Stillwater, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Stillwater, MN $5,246

Chicago, IL costs about 7% more than Stillwater, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Stillwater, MN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Stillwater, MN by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.58 $17.58

17.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$82.1 $82.1

8.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.92 $11.92

10.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.59 $5.59

1.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.10 $3.10

-14.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.94 $6.94

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.18 $8.18

8.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.85 $0.85

47.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.65 $3.65

1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.43 $6.43

-16.17%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.73 $3.73

27.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.44 $10.44

32.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.77 $13.77

4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.20 $19.20

-4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.52 $4.52

15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.81 $1.81

9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.58 $4.58

-11.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.10 $5.10

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.53 $4.53

-41.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.27 $4.27

-37.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.65 $2.65

18.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.96 $12.96

6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.78 $15.78

-5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.80 $2.80

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.67 $5.67

-38.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$83.3 $83.3

-11.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.05 $5.05

-37.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.74 $1.74

-20.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.35 $24.35

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.97 $0.97

23.71%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.4K $30.4K

15.31%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.28%

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

$194 $194

$134 $134

44.89%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.7 $54.7

26.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.8 $68.8

-10.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$127 $127

-62.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$34.30 $34.30

-20.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.26 $15.26

16.71%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,310 $1,310

36.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$36.7K $36.7K

-12.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$57.0 $57.0

17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.20 $44.20

17.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.5 $91.5

10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$51.0 $51.0

182.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,466 $1,466

72.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,468 $1,468

7.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,296 $2,296

106.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,104 $2,104

28.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,982 $2,982

40.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,971 $2,971

-6.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,874 $6,874

-28.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.6

3.18%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Stillwater, MN: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Stillwater, MN

$1.5K 51.6% 7% $110

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Stillwater, MN

$441 15.5% 1.5% $6.8

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Stillwater, MN

$316 11.1% 8.3% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Stillwater, MN

$258 9.1% 20.8% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Stillwater, MN

$110 3.9% 33.1% $54

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Stillwater, MN

$97 * 3.4% 3.9% $3.7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Stillwater, MN

$158 5.6% 89.1% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,466 in Stillwater, MN. 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 39% higher in Stillwater, MN, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $82 in Stillwater, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $441 – making Stillwater, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Stillwater, MN

🕒 Local time

13:12 1:12 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

44,818

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Stillwater, MN 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Stillwater, MN

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 Stillwater, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,847 in Stillwater, MN – Stillwater, MN comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,270 in Stillwater, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stillwater, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,466 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $82 in Stillwater, MN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,847 in Stillwater, MN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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