Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Winona, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Winona, MN: $1,950 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Winona, MN
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Winona, MN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Winona, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Winona, MN

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 Winona, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,950 in Winona, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Winona, MN $1,950

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,925 in Winona, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Winona, MN $2,925

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,900 in Winona, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Winona, MN $3,900

Chicago, IL costs about 61% more than Winona, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Winona, MN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Winona, MN by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$15.12 $15.12

36.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$58.5 $58.5

54.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.46 $11.46

12.91%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.54 $5.54

1.08%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.79 $1.79

47.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.03 $1.03

120.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.12 $4.12

69.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.90 $5.90

49.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.00 $1.00

27.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.41 $1.41

169.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.16 $4.16

27.40%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$1.75 $1.75

172.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$14.72 $14.72

-5.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.41 $13.41

8.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.81 $19.81

-5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.61 $4.61

12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.64 $0.64

209.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.12 $5.12

-23.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.79 $2.79

-1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.03 $3.03

-8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.10 $2.10

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.37 $2.37

25.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.85 $10.85

29.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.47 $15.47

-1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.70 $2.70

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.33 $4.33

-19.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.03 $2.03

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$66.8 $66.8

11.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.88 $3.88

-13.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.06 $2.06

-30.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$42.95 $42.95

-43.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

12.54%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.08%

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

$193 $193

$198 $198

-2.59%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$29.44 $29.44

131.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$53.2 $53.2

15.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$60.4 $60.4

-10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$9.82 $9.82

80.65%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,718 $1,718

-3.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.9K $23.9K

30.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$63.1 $63.1

4.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$50.4 $50.4

1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$106 $106

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$123 $123

14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$867 $867

182.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$686 $686

144.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,285 $1,285

267.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,180 $1,180

136.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,671 $1,671

145.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,653 $1,653

60.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.69

1.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Winona, MN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Winona, MN

$686 35.2% 59.1% $992

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Winona, MN

$395 20.3% 12.1% $54

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Winona, MN

$265 13.6% 22.7% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Winona, MN

$280 14.4% 13% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Winona, MN

$154 7.9% 4.5% $7.3

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Winona, MN

$89 4.6% 6.3% $6

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Winona, MN

$80 4.1% 10.7% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $867 in Winona, MN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $58.0 in Winona, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $395 – making Winona, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Winona, MN

🕒 Local time

23:48 11:48 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

26,533

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Winona, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $1,950 in Winona, MN – roughly 61% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,924 in Winona, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $58.0 in Winona, MN. 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 Winona, MN, where all-in costs run around $1,950, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Winona, MN 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 $1,950 in Winona, MN to $3,139 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 Winona, MN. 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.