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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,473 in Versailles, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,628 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,959 in Versailles, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,179 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,445 in Versailles, rent included.

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than Versailles, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chicago, IL and Versailles sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 130%, Versailles by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$29.21 €25.15

-28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$78.9 €67.9

24.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$11.73 €10.10

1.11%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.48 €3.86

25.00%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$3.59 €3.09

-14.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.12 €2.68

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$7.68 €6.62

-7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.68 €6.61

5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.39 €1.20

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.53 €2.18

62.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.55 €3.06

58.03%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.68 €4.03

-3.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$11.59 €9.98

23.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$17.43 €15.01

-14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$36.39 €31.33

-47.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.96 €3.41

29.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.32 €2.00

-23.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.73 €2.35

60.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.34 €2.88

36.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.85 €1.59

37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.25 €1.94

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.95 €1.68

24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.57 €0.49

359.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$13.93 €12.00

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$8.50 €7.32

74.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.42 €2.95

-28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.65 €1.42

126.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.34 €2.01

5.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$49.35 €42.49

52.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.66 €4.87

-43.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.62 €1.39

-12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$42.48 €36.58

-41.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.07 €1.78

-48.79%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.4K €27.9K

-1.47%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$38.2K €32.9K

-31.92%

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

$185 $185

$353 €304

-47.67%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$31.18 €26.85

98.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$38.57 €33.21

73.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$54.7 €47.06

37.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

$18.69 €16.09

-30.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$14.05 €12.10

4.70%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,041 €896

94.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$10.2K €8,824

284.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$128 €110

-49.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$42.32 €36.44

23.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$96.6 €83.2

1.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$148 €127

-0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,078 €928

114.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$906 €781

75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,352 €2,025

95.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$1,976 €1,701

40.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$10.4K €8,987

-62.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$9,319 €8,025

-71.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$3,441 €2,963

51.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

3.62

82.32%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Versailles: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,078 in Versailles. 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 52% 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 $98.0 in Chicago, IL versus $79.0 in Versailles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $427 – making Versailles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Versailles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL, $2,473 in Versailles – roughly 24% apart. Chicago, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,616 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,710 in Versailles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $98.0 in Chicago, IL and $79.0 in Versailles. 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 Versailles, where all-in costs run around $2,473, than in Chicago, IL at $3,077. In Versailles 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 $2,473 in Versailles to $3,077 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 Versailles. 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.