Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Urbandale, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Urbandale, IA: $2,310 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Urbandale, IA
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Urbandale, IA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Urbandale, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,310

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,310 in Urbandale, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Urbandale, IA $2,310

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,374 in Urbandale, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Urbandale, IA $3,374

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,437 in Urbandale, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Urbandale, IA $4,437

Chicago, IL costs about 36% more than Urbandale, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Urbandale, IA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Urbandale, IA by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$14.86 $14.86

38.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$50.9 $50.9

77.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.96 $9.96

29.92%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.97 $4.97

12.68%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.21 $1.21

118.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.99 $0.99

129.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.15 $5.15

35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.58 $7.58

16.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.01 $1.01

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.25 $3.25

16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.84 $3.84

38.02%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.05 $2.05

132.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$14.07 $14.07

-0.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.88 $9.88

47.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.88 $13.88

35.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.21 $3.21

61.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.47 $3.47

13.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.29 $3.29

50.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.09 $3.09

-10.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.37 $3.37

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.14 $2.14

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.10 $2.10

41.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.16 $8.16

71.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.04 $12.04

26.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.82 $1.82

41.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.87 $1.87

87.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.05 $2.05

20.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$66.0 $66.0

13.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.46 $2.46

35.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.20 $1.20

19.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$60.2 $60.2

-59.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.98 $0.98

28.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.6K $34.6K

1.29%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.76%

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

$193 $193

$140 $140

37.97%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$14.79 $14.79

361.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$25.01 $25.01

145.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$35.57 $35.57

52.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$20.34 $20.34

37.27%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.81 $14.81

19.78%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,164 $1,164

41.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.7K $20.7K

50.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$61.3 $61.3

7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$21.96 $21.96

133.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$45.54 $45.54

119.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$75.1 $75.1

87.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$933 $933

162.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,290 $1,290

30.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,237 $1,237

281.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,164 $2,164

29.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,777 $2,777

47.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,710 $2,710

-2.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,637 $3,637

33.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Urbandale, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Urbandale, IA

$1.3K 55.9% 23.1% $387

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Urbandale, IA

$342 14.8% 23.9% $107

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Urbandale, IA

$258 11.2% 24.8% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Urbandale, IA

$179 7.8% 44.3% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Urbandale, IA

$92 4% 43.1% $69

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Urbandale, IA

$83 3.6% 13.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Urbandale, IA

$65 2.8% 27.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $933 in Urbandale, 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 34% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $51.0 in Urbandale, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $342 – making Urbandale, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Urbandale, IA

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

45,580

💱 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 Urbandale, IA 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,310 in Urbandale, IA – roughly 36% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,465 in Urbandale, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $51.0 in Urbandale, IA. 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 Urbandale, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,310, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Urbandale, IA 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 $2,310 in Urbandale, IA 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 Urbandale, IA. 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.