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 $3,184 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,590 in Versailles, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,725 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,125 in Versailles, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,266 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,661 in Versailles, rent included.

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Versailles, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chicago, IL and Versailles sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 131%, Versailles by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$24.84 €21.41

-18.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 $88.8

$81.2 €70.0

9.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$11.75 €10.13

12.00%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$4.38 €3.77

31.74%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.67 €3.16

-28.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.15 €1.86

8.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$9.50 €8.19

-25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$7.59 €6.54

20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.49 €1.29

-12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.34 €2.02

73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.83 €3.30

48.56%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$4.32 €3.73

12.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$11.42 €9.84

32.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.78 €15.33

-16.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.28 $19.28

$41.84 €36.07

-53.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$4.15 €3.57

36.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.25 €1.94

-14.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.46 €2.12

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.43 €2.95

48.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.65 €2.28

10.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.31 €1.99

19.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.15 €1.85

6.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.61 €0.53

398.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.93 $15.93

$14.18 €12.22

12.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$8.73 €7.53

72.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.39 €2.92

-25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.29 €1.97

10.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$100 €86.6

-25.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 $3.28

$5.90 €5.08

-44.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.55 €1.33

-12.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.55 $22.55

$43.51 €37.50

-48.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.12 €1.83

-42.45%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.3K €31.3K

-0.55%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$37.3K €32.1K

-30.28%

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

$188 $188

$327 €282

-42.42%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$31.94 €27.53

116.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$40.15 €34.61

58.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 $63.4

$54.3 €46.85

16.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.11 $27.11

$29.29 €25.25

-7.44%

Cinema Ticket

$17.90 $17.90

$15.22 €13.12

17.61%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$1,021 €880

49.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$10.5K €9,049

203.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$129 €111

-51.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$74.4 €64.1

-24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$92.8 €80.0

8.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$156 €135

0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$1,121 €966

109.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$957 €825

77.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,576 $4,576

$2,310 €1,992

98.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$2,013 €1,736

39.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,130 $4,130

$10.7K €9,212

-61.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,740 $2,740

$9,326 €8,039

-70.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,891 $4,891

$3,601 €3,104

35.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

3.81

67.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Versailles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,342 in Chicago, IL versus $1,121 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 36% 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 $81.0 in Versailles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $465 vs $444 – 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: $3,184 in Chicago, IL, $2,590 in Versailles – roughly 23% apart. Chicago, IL costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,776 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,885 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $81.0 in Versailles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,184 in Chicago, IL and $2,590 in Versailles. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,590 in Versailles to $3,184 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.