Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Wilkes-Barre, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilkes-Barre, PA: $1,860 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Wilkes-Barre, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,860

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Wilkes-Barre, PA

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 Wilkes-Barre, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,860 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Wilkes-Barre, PA $1,860

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,903 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Wilkes-Barre, PA $2,903

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,947 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Wilkes-Barre, PA $3,947

Chicago, IL costs about 63% more than Wilkes-Barre, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Wilkes-Barre, PA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Wilkes-Barre, PA by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.75 $14.75

40.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$49.73 $49.73

79.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.63 $9.63

36.97%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.45 $3.45

64.06%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.03 $1.03

156.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.87 $1.87

21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.06 $5.06

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.18 $1.18

5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.60 $3.60

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.09 $2.09

157.89%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.81 $5.81

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.30 $8.30

66.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.85 $14.85

-3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.40 $18.40

-0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.48 $3.48

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.18 $2.18

-9.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.44 $5.44

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.72 $6.72

-26.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.81 $1.81

47.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.15 $3.15

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.16 $2.16

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.50 $1.50

108.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.06 $12.06

14.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.86 $14.86

0.13%

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

$1.49 $1.49

63.09%

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

$1.11 $1.11

8.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

29.06%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.63%

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

$194 $194

$157 $157

24.05%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$40.96 $40.96

69.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.6 $66.6

-7.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$50.2 $50.2

-4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,053 $1,053

70.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.8 $50.8

32.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.45 $39.45

32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$80.1 $80.1

26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,259 $1,259

100.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$841 $841

87.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,773 $1,773

167.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,724 $1,724

56.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,341 $4,341

13.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Wilkes-Barre, PA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,259 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. 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 14% 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 $50 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $396 – making Wilkes-Barre, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Wilkes-Barre, PA

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

20:16 8:16 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

41,288

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Wilkes-Barre, PA 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Wilkes-Barre, PA

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 Wilkes-Barre, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,860 in Wilkes-Barre, PA – Wilkes-Barre, PA comes out roughly 39% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,789 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wilkes-Barre, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,259 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $50 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Wilkes-Barre, PA – 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA. 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.