Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Eau Claire, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Eau Claire, WI: $2,278 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Eau Claire, WI
Learn more

Eau Claire, WI Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Eau Claire, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,278

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,278 per month in Eau Claire, WI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eau Claire, WI $2,278
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,288 per month in Eau Claire, WI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eau Claire, WI $3,288
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,297 per month in Eau Claire, WI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Eau Claire, WI $4,297
Chicago, IL $5,999

Eau Claire, WI is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Eau Claire, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Eau Claire, WI by 67%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.67 $18.67

$20.71 $20.71

-9.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.5 $66.5

$89.2 $89.2

-25.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$13.19 $13.19

-24.34%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$5.66 $5.66

-7.60%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.64 $2.64

5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.28 $2.28

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 $3.98

$6.87 $6.87

-42.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$8.84 $8.84

-33.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.25 $1.25

-35.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.72 $3.72

-7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.39 $5.39

-22.82%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$4.74 $4.74

-21.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.94 $12.94

$13.84 $13.84

-6.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$14.40 $14.40

-8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$18.38 $18.38

-20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$5.22 $5.22

-8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.98 $1.98

-38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.06 $4.06

-19.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.97 $4.97

-4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.67 $2.67

8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.66 $2.66

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.24 $2.24

-32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.13 $3.13

-24.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 $10.93

$13.82 $13.82

-20.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$14.88 $14.88

2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.54 $2.54

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.51 $3.51

28.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.43 $2.43

-29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.5 $50.5

$73.5 $73.5

-31.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.18 $3.18

23.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.39 $1.39

40.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.51 $44.51

$25.03 $25.03

77.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.20 $1.20

-25.83%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.87%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.22%

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

$210 $210

$194 $194

7.94%

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

$47.84 $47.84

$69.5 $69.5

-31.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$61.6 $61.6

11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 $42.07

$47.90 $47.90

-12.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.94 $19.94

$27.34 $27.34

-27.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 $11.44

$17.81 $17.81

-35.77%

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

$999 $999

$1,794 $1,794

-44.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 $48.92

$67.0 $67.0

-27.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 $29.95

$52.1 $52.1

-42.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$102 $102

7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 $84.8

$144 $144

-40.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 $1,145

$2,526 $2,526

-54.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$1,578 $1,578

-35.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$4,738 $4,738

-66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$2,693 $2,693

-42.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 $2,253

$4,190 $4,190

-46.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,861 $1,861

$2,768 $2,768

-32.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,958 $3,958

$4,931 $4,931

-19.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.81

-2.35%

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

Last update for Eau Claire, WI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Eau Claire, WI

$1K 44.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 56% $566

Groceries & Markets

Eau Claire, WI

$390 17.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 14.8% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Eau Claire, WI

$327 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.3% $1.1

Eating Out

Eau Claire, WI

$291 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 18.6% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Eau Claire, WI

$123 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 33.6% $41

Getting Around

Eau Claire, WI

$71 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 31.4% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Eau Claire, WI

$65 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 28.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,145 in Eau Claire, WI versus $2,526 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 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 $67 in Eau Claire, WI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $447 – making Eau Claire, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Eau Claire, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:36 11:36 AM

Same time as Eau Claire, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

68,802

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Eau Claire, WI Chicago, IL 450 km

From you

Eau Claire, WI
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

Eau Claire, WI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,278 in Eau Claire, WI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Eau Claire, WI comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,417 per month in Eau Claire, WI and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Eau Claire, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,145 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67 in Eau Claire, WI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Eau Claire, WI – 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 Eau Claire, WI. 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.