Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Waukesha, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Waukesha, WI: $2,042 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 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
97

Cost of Living Index in Waukesha, WI
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Waukesha, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,042

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Waukesha, WI

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 Waukesha, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,042 in Waukesha, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Waukesha, WI $2,042

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,973 in Waukesha, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Waukesha, WI $2,973

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,905 in Waukesha, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Waukesha, WI $3,905

Chicago, IL costs about 49% more than Waukesha, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Waukesha, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Waukesha, WI by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.03 $17.03

21.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.2 $76.2

17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.79 $10.79

22.24%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.97 $4.97

13.88%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.71 $2.71

-2.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.05 $6.05

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.07 $7.07

25.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.84 $0.84

48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.36 $3.36

10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.50 $4.50

19.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.51 $3.51

35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.76 $8.76

57.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.37 $11.37

26.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.46 $16.46

11.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.04 $5.04

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.70 $1.70

16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.55 $3.55

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.12 $5.12

-2.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.72 $1.72

55.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.63 $2.63

1.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.69 $1.69

32.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.94 $1.94

61.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.46 $8.46

63.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.21 $11.21

32.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.40 $3.40

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$49.77 $49.77

47.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.77 $2.77

14.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.64 $1.64

-15.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$20.78 $20.78

20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.03 $1.03

16.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

40.57%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.16%

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

$194 $194

$199 $199

-2.42%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$52.0 $52.0

33.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.0 $60.0

2.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$50.9 $50.9

-5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.37 $14.37

23.94%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,520 $1,520

18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.4K $24.4K

30.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.7 $54.7

22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.60 $40.60

28.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.8 $88.8

14.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$74.8 $74.8

92.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,013 $1,013

149.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$815 $815

93.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,600 $1,600

196.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,187 $1,187

126.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,361 $2,361

77.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,414 $2,414

14.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,197 $4,197

17.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.53

4.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Waukesha, WI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Waukesha, WI

$815 39.9% 48.4% $763

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Waukesha, WI

$360 17.6% 19.5% $87

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Waukesha, WI

$291 14.3% 15.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Waukesha, WI

$311 15.2% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Waukesha, WI

$116 5.7% 29% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Waukesha, WI

$69 3.4% 26.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Waukesha, WI

$80 3.9% 4.7% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,013 in Waukesha, WI. 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 17% 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 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Waukesha, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $360 – making Waukesha, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waukesha, WI

🕒 Local time

09:40 9:40 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

71,158

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Waukesha, WI 140 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 Waukesha, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,042 in Waukesha, WI – Waukesha, WI comes out roughly 33% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,063 in Waukesha, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waukesha, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,013 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Waukesha, WI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Waukesha, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,042, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Waukesha, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Waukesha, WI – 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 Waukesha, WI. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.