Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Wheeling, WV

For one person, living is cheaper in Wheeling, WV: $2,238 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 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
108

Cost of Living Index in Wheeling, WV
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Wheeling, WV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Wheeling, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,238

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Wheeling, WV

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 Wheeling, WV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,238 in Wheeling, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Wheeling, WV $2,238

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,354 in Wheeling, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Wheeling, WV $3,354

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,471 in Wheeling, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Wheeling, WV $4,471

Chicago, IL costs about 36% more than Wheeling, WV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Wheeling, WV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Wheeling, WV by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.55 $13.55

52.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$65.9 $65.9

35.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.42 $8.42

56.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.15 $5.15

9.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.88 $1.88

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$14.56 $14.56

-52.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.91 $9.91

-10.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.31 $1.31

-4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.49 $3.49

6.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.81 $6.81

-20.85%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.75 $5.75

-17.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.44 $7.44

86.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.19 $16.19

-11.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.92 $15.92

15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.49 $7.49

-30.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.49 $7.49

-45.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.99 $5.99

-17.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.25 $5.25

-49.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.56 $4.56

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.14 $2.14

46.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.12 $9.12

51.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.94 $14.94

-0.40%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

37.83%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.3K $23.3K

14.32%

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

$194 $194

$160 $160

21.43%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$140 $140

-50.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.5 $73.5

-16.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$33.66 $33.66

42.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.80 $12.80

39.14%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,065 $1,065

68.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.8K $18.8K

69.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.64 $46.64

43.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$60.5 $60.5

-13.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$138 $138

-26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$63.7 $63.7

125.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,152 $1,152

119.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$905 $905

74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,265 $2,265

109.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,547 $1,547

74.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,677 $1,677

149.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,379 $1,379

100.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,854 $3,854

27.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.4

6.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wheeling, WV: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Wheeling, WV

$905 40.4% 42.6% $673

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Wheeling, WV

$456 * 20.4% 1.8% $8.1

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Wheeling, WV

$305 13.7% 11.4% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Wheeling, WV

$374 16.7% 14.9% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Wheeling, WV

$139 6.2% 15.2% $25

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Wheeling, WV

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Wheeling, WV

$59 2.7% 29% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,152 in Wheeling, WV. 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 28% 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 $66 in Wheeling, WV. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $456 in Wheeling, WV – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Wheeling, WV

🕒 Local time

23:34 11:34 PM

00:34 12:34 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

28,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Wheeling, WV 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Wheeling, WV

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 Wheeling, WV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,238 in Wheeling, WV – Wheeling, WV comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,358 in Wheeling, WV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wheeling, WV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,152 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,065 in Wheeling, WV. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,238 in Wheeling, WV. That makes Wheeling, WV about 26% cheaper.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wheeling, WV, where all-in costs run around $2,238, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Wheeling, WV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wheeling, WV – 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 Wheeling, WV. 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.