Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Warsaw, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Warsaw, IN: $2,325 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

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

Cost of Living Index in Warsaw, IN
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Warsaw, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Warsaw, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,325

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Warsaw, IN

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 Warsaw, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,325 in Warsaw, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Warsaw, IN $2,325

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,378 in Warsaw, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Warsaw, IN $3,378

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,431 in Warsaw, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Warsaw, IN $4,431

Chicago, IL costs about 31% more than Warsaw, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Warsaw, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Warsaw, IN by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$12.39 $12.39

67.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$47.74 $47.74

86.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.03 $9.03

46.07%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.88 $4.88

15.98%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.26 $2.26

16.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.62 $1.62

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.11 $6.11

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.66 $7.66

15.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.21 $1.21

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.81 $1.81

105.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.80 $1.80

199.44%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.65 $4.65

1.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.50 $8.50

62.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.67 $11.67

23.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.99 $11.99

53.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.17 $2.17

140.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.24 $1.24

59.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.89 $1.89

114.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.34 $2.34

112.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.66 $2.66

0.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.05 $1.05

153.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.65 $1.65

35.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.27 $1.27

146.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.70 $9.70

42.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.12 $10.12

47.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.02 $2.02

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.73 $2.73

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.82 $1.82

33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$54.5 $54.5

35.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.32 $3.32

-4.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.12 $1.12

24.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$20.32 $20.32

23.18%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

1.91%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

12.80%

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

$194 $194

$163 $163

19.37%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$19.69 $19.69

252.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.9 $60.9

1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.25 $40.25

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$50.7 $50.7

-46.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.03 $10.03

77.57%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$998 $998

79.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$11.9K $11.9K

167.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$66.5 $66.5

0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$51.7 $51.7

0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.5 $98.5

3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,590 $1,590

58.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,271 $1,271

24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,522 $2,522

87.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,139 $2,139

25.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,817 $2,817

48.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,351 $2,351

17.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,611 $3,611

36.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

13.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Warsaw, IN: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Warsaw, IN

$1.3K 54.7% 19.4% $307

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Warsaw, IN

$281 12.1% 37.2% $166

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Warsaw, IN

$246 10.6% 28.6% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Warsaw, IN

$243 10.5% 25.2% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Warsaw, IN

$152 6.5% 7.3% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Warsaw, IN

$71 3% 24.4% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Warsaw, IN

$60 2.6% 27.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,590 in Warsaw, IN. 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 37% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $48 in Warsaw, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $281 – making Warsaw, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Warsaw, IN

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

10:25 10:25 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

13,082

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Warsaw, IN 160 km

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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 Warsaw, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,325 in Warsaw, IN – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,487 in Warsaw, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Warsaw, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,590 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 in Chicago, IL and $48 in Warsaw, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

If budget matters most, go with Warsaw, IN. 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.