Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL: $3,023 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Des Plaines, IL
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Des Plaines, IL Living Index
153

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

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Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,023

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,023 per month in Des Plaines, IL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Des Plaines, IL $3,023
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,419 per month in Des Plaines, IL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Des Plaines, IL $4,419
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,815 per month in Des Plaines, IL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Des Plaines, IL $5,815
Chicago, IL $6,077

Des Plaines, IL is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Des Plaines, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Des Plaines, IL by 124%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.29 $21.29

$21.58 $21.58

-1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 $89.1

$88.7 $88.7

0.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.10 $13.10

$13.20 $13.20

-0.76%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$5.59 $5.59

1.61%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$2.63 $2.63

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.26 $2.26

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 $7.05

$7.11 $7.11

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$9.23 $9.23

-10.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.28 $1.28

-28.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.84 $3.84

-11.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.07 $5.07

-17.16%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$4.84 $4.84

-12.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$14.17 $14.17

4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.04 $13.04

$14.61 $14.61

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 $18.82

$18.76 $18.76

0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$5.19 $5.19

-11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.00 $2.00

-17.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.00 $4.00

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$4.98 $4.98

-1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.79 $2.79

-2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.65 $2.65

2.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.13 $2.13

-1.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.09 $3.09

-20.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 $10.90

$16.05 $16.05

-32.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$15.20 $15.20

-1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.62 $2.62

-1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.46 $3.46

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.47 $2.47

-20.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$75.1 $75.1

-20.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.21 $3.21

2.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.39 $1.39

-2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.88 $24.88

$25.02 $25.02

-0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.24 $1.24

-20.16%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-2.79%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.31%

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

$192 $192

-0.16%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$67.8 $67.8

-12.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$60.9 $60.9

24.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$53.6 $53.6

129.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.32 $39.32

$27.90 $27.90

40.93%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$17.80 $17.80

-17.30%

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

$1,563 $1,563

$1,554 $1,554

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$31.4K $31.4K

-24.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 $64.9

$67.9 $67.9

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

0.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$143 $143

-16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 $2,084

$2,383 $2,383

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 $1,548

$1,712 $1,712

-9.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,937 $3,937

$4,674 $4,674

-15.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 $2,485

$2,738 $2,738

-9.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,279 $3,279

$4,158 $4,158

-21.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$2,691 $2,691

-7.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,121 $6,121

$4,894 $4,894

25.06%

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 Des Plaines, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Plaines, IL

$1.5K 51.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 10.6% $164

Groceries & Markets

Des Plaines, IL

$418 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 8% $33

Eating Out

Des Plaines, IL

$349 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 1.1% $4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Plaines, IL

$327 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 1.9% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Des Plaines, IL

$152 5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 41.4% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Des Plaines, IL

$151 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 8% $12

Getting Around

Des Plaines, IL

$78 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 22.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,084 in Des Plaines, 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 25% higher in Des Plaines, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Des Plaines, IL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $451 – making Des Plaines, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:26 4:26 PM

Same time as Des Plaines, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,675

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Des Plaines, IL Chicago, IL 29 km

From you

Des Plaines, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,535 per month in Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $89.0 in Des Plaines, IL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,023 in Des Plaines, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Des Plaines, 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.