Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wausau, WI: $1,726 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Wausau, WI
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Wausau, WI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,726

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,169 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,726 in Wausau, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,169
Wausau, WI $1,726

A couple spends around $4,682 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,735 in Wausau, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,682
Wausau, WI $2,735

A family of three spends $6,196 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,743 in Wausau, WI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,196
Wausau, WI $3,743

Chicago, IL costs about 84% more than Wausau, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Wausau, WI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Wausau, WI by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 $21.62

$19.87 $19.87

8.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 $91.2

$75.2 $75.2

21.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$8.71 $8.71

50.29%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.85 $4.85

19.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.94 $1.94

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.62 $5.62

23.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$5.42 $5.42

64.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.85 $0.85

49.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.84 $2.84

38.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.26 $5.26

-5.70%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$4.66 $4.66

-0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$8.62 $8.62

62.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.37 $14.37

$6.80 $6.80

111.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.59 $18.59

$13.53 $13.53

37.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.17 $4.17

28.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.53 $1.53

26.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.02 $4.02

-0.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$4.10 $4.10

20.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.86 $1.86

50.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.44 $2.44

13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.25 $2.25

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$0.99 $0.99

215.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.71 $15.71

$8.60 $8.60

82.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$8.92 $8.92

70.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.95 $1.95

31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.20 $2.20

58.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 $74.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.76 $2.76

17.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.58 $1.58

-9.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$20.77 $20.77

17.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.3K $36.3K

-1.25%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

4.12%

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

$195 $195

$157 $157

23.68%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$68.3 $68.3

1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$71.5 $71.5

-13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 $54.5

$30.56 $30.56

78.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$5.93 $5.93

200.84%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$1,806 $1,806

-16.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.6K $24.6K

26.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$24.53 $24.53

177.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$40.50 $40.50

27.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$65.8 $65.8

54.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$83.5 $83.5

69.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$928 $928

162.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 $1,662

$698 $698

138.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 $4,644

$1,565 $1,565

196.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 $2,751

$1,398 $1,398

96.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,036 $4,036

$1,662 $1,662

142.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,677 $2,677

$1,714 $1,714

56.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,861 $4,861

$3,486 $3,486

39.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.65

1.80%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Last update for Wausau, WI: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53%

Wausau, WI

$698 39.8% 58% $965

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3%

Wausau, WI

$307 17.5% 31.7% $143

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3%

Wausau, WI

$301 17.2% 14.8% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4%

Wausau, WI

$297 17% 8.8% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2%

Wausau, WI

$96 5.5% 40.9% $67

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Wausau, WI

$11 * 0.6% 88.8% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Wausau, WI

$42 2.4% 53% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,437 in Chicago, IL versus $928 in Wausau, 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 39% 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL versus $75.0 in Wausau, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $307 – making Wausau, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Wausau, WI

🕒 Local time

12:30 12:30 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

38,435

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Wausau, WI 380 km

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,169 in Chicago, IL, $1,726 in Wausau, WI – roughly 84% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,753 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,589 in Wausau, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Chicago, IL and $75.0 in Wausau, WI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wausau, WI, where all-in costs run around $1,726, than in Chicago, IL at $3,169. In Wausau, WI 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 $1,726 in Wausau, WI to $3,169 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 Wausau, WI. 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.