Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Evanston, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Evanston, IL: $2,572 a month against $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Colorado Springs, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

130

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Evanston, IL
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Evanston, IL Living Index

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Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,572

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colorado Springs, CO and in Evanston, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Colorado Springs, CO and in Evanston, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,572 in Evanston, IL.

Colorado Springs, CO $2,721
Evanston, IL $2,572

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,253 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $4,469 in Evanston, IL.

Colorado Springs, CO $4,253
Evanston, IL $4,469

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,786 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $6,366 in Evanston, IL.

Colorado Springs, CO $5,786
Evanston, IL $6,366

Living in Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 6% more expensive than in Evanston, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 100% above, Evanston, IL 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$20.30 $20.30

-0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$85.2 $85.2

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 $12.77

$12.82 $12.82

-0.39%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.83 $5.83

-5.83%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.71 $2.71

-2.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$6.98 $6.98

-15.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.88 $7.88

-10.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.04 $1.04

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.73 $3.73

-11.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.27 $4.27

1.41%

Eggs

$5.95 $5.95

$4.58 $4.58

29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 $14.64

$13.66 $13.66

7.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$14.34 $14.34

-6.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.57 $19.57

$19.96 $19.96

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$5.23 $5.23

7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.62 $1.62

-15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.86 $3.86

13.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.00 $5.00

-4.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.77 $2.77

-9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.94 $2.94

-11.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.08 $2.08

11.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.37 $2.37

-16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$10.83 $10.83

-4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 $19.36

$15.24 $15.24

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.67 $2.67

24.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.34 $3.34

41.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.46 $2.46

-27.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$75.2 $75.2

-16.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 $3.63

$4.02 $4.02

-9.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.70 $24.70

$44.50 $44.50

-44.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$30.0K $30.0K

-5.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

3.06%

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

$200 $200

$194 $194

2.77%

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

$95.6 $95.6

$60.4 $60.4

58.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 $103

$74.0 $74.0

38.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.11 $44.11

$75.0 $75.0

-41.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 $33.69

$59.6 $59.6

-43.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$14.74 $14.74

-0.20%

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

$1,558 $1,558

$1,646 $1,646

-5.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$31.6K $31.6K

-23.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$63.6 $63.6

-7.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 $34.64

$50.1 $50.1

-30.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

$108 $108

-25.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$127 $127

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$1,688 $1,688

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,111 $1,111

14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 $2,874

$4,000 $4,000

-28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,573 $2,573

$3,055 $3,055

-15.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 $2,798

$14.4K $14.4K

-80.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,283 $2,283

$12.7K $12.7K

-82.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,387 $4,387

$5,558 $5,558

-21.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 25, 2026

Last update for Evanston, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.3K 46.8%

Evanston, IL

$1.1K 43.2% 12.8% $163

Groceries & Markets

Colorado Springs, CO

$442 16.2%

Evanston, IL

$433 16.9% 1.9% $8.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 14.6%

Evanston, IL

$329 12.8% 17.4% $69

Eating Out

Colorado Springs, CO

$329 12.1%

Evanston, IL

$341 13.3% 3.6% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Colorado Springs, CO

$124 4.5%

Evanston, IL

$157 6.1% 26.9% $33

Getting Around

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 3%

Evanston, IL

$96 3.7% 18.7% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Colorado Springs, CO

$74 2.7%

Evanston, IL

$105 4.1% 42.1% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,688 in Evanston, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Evanston, IL pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $85 in Evanston, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $442 vs $433, with Evanston, IL cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 Evanston, IL

🕒 Local time

10:59 10:59 AM

11:59 11:59 AM

1 h ahead of Colorado Springs, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

478,961

74,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Colorado Springs, CO Evanston, IL 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Colorado Springs, CO
Evanston, IL

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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Evanston, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Evanston, IL is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Colorado Springs, CO. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,688 in Evanston, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colorado Springs, CO runs roughly 16% less than in Evanston, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,558 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,646 in Evanston, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Evanston, IL gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Colorado Springs, CO and Evanston, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.