Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Decatur, IL: $1,725 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, IL
Learn more

Decatur, IL Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,725

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Decatur, IL and in Chicago, IL

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

A single person spends $1,725 per month in Decatur, IL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Decatur, IL $1,725
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Decatur, IL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Decatur, IL $2,654
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Decatur, IL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Decatur, IL $3,582
Chicago, IL $6,077

Decatur, IL is about 46% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Decatur, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Decatur, IL by 28%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$21.58 $21.58

-7.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$88.7 $88.7

-5.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$13.20 $13.20

-33.79%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$5.59 $5.59

-3.22%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$2.63 $2.63

-14.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.26 $2.26

-26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$7.11 $7.11

-29.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$9.23 $9.23

-33.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.28 $1.28

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.84 $3.84

-20.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.07 $5.07

-59.96%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.84 $4.84

-2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$14.17 $14.17

-2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$14.61 $14.61

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$18.76 $18.76

-30.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.19 $5.19

-16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.00 $2.00

1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.00 $4.00

0.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$4.98 $4.98

-34.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.79 $2.79

-67.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.65 $2.65

-58.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.13 $2.13

-30.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.09 $3.09

-0.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.87 $15.87

$16.05 $16.05

-1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.20 $15.20

-2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.62 $2.62

-16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.46 $3.46

-42.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.21 $3.21

-1.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.39 $1.39

2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 $25.28

$25.02 $25.02

1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.24 $1.24

-6.45%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$37.2K $37.2K

-0.61%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-1.23%

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

$85.6 $85.6

$192 $192

-55.47%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$67.8 $67.8

-0.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$60.9 $60.9

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 $74.7

$53.6 $53.6

39.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$17.80 $17.80

-33.60%

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

$1,525 $1,525

$1,554 $1,554

-1.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$31.4K $31.4K

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$67.9 $67.9

0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 $51.5

$50.8 $50.8

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

-0.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$143 $143

0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

$2,383 $2,383

-63.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$1,712 $1,712

-67.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$993 $993

$4,674 $4,674

-78.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$2,738 $2,738

-70.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$940 $940

$4,158 $4,158

-77.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 $941

$2,691 $2,691

-65.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,599 $4,599

$4,894 $4,894

-6.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Decatur, IL

$551 31.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 211% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Decatur, IL

$385 22.3%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 17.3% $67

Eating Out

Decatur, IL

$304 17.6%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 16.2% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Decatur, IL

$213 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 50.7% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Decatur, IL

$164 9.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 0.4% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Decatur, IL

$98 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 9.3% $9.2

Getting Around

Decatur, IL

$10 * 0.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 825% $85

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Decatur, IL versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. 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 6% 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 $83.0 in Decatur, IL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $451 – making Decatur, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:08 6:08 PM

Same time as Decatur, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,047

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Decatur, IL Chicago, IL 250 km

From you

Decatur, IL
Chicago, 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

Decatur, IL vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,725 in Decatur, IL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 85% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,588 per month in Decatur, IL and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Decatur, IL, 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 $83.0 in Decatur, IL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Decatur, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,725, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Decatur, IL 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 $1,725 in Decatur, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Decatur, IL. 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.