Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Evanston, IL: $2,572 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

123

Cost of Living Index in Evanston, IL
Learn more

Evanston, IL Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,572

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,572 per month in Evanston, IL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Evanston, IL $2,572
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,469 per month in Evanston, IL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Evanston, IL $4,469
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $6,366 per month in Evanston, IL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Evanston, IL $6,366
Chicago, IL $5,999

Evanston, IL is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Evanston, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Evanston, IL by 89%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$20.71 $20.71

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 $85.2

$89.2 $89.2

-4.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.82 $12.82

$13.19 $13.19

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$5.66 $5.66

3.00%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.64 $2.64

2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.28 $2.28

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.87 $6.87

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.84 $8.84

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.72 $3.72

0.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.39 $5.39

-20.78%

Eggs

$4.58 $4.58

$4.74 $4.74

-3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 $13.66

$13.84 $13.84

-1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.34 $14.34

$14.40 $14.40

-0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.96 $19.96

$18.38 $18.38

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.22 $5.22

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.98 $1.98

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.06 $4.06

-4.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$4.97 $4.97

0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.67 $2.67

3.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.66 $2.66

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.24 $2.24

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.13 $3.13

-24.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.83 $10.83

$13.82 $13.82

-21.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.88 $14.88

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.54 $2.54

5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.51 $3.51

-4.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.43 $2.43

1.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 $75.2

$73.5 $73.5

2.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.18 $3.18

26.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.39 $1.39

2.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.50 $44.50

$25.03 $25.03

77.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.20 $1.20

-13.33%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.35%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-5.02%

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

$194 $194

-0.03%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$69.5 $69.5

-12.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$61.6 $61.6

20.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 $75.0

$47.90 $47.90

56.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.6 $59.6

$27.34 $27.34

117.96%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$17.81 $17.81

-17.24%

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

$1,646 $1,646

$1,794 $1,794

-8.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 $63.6

$67.0 $67.0

-5.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 $50.1

$52.1 $52.1

-3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$102 $102

6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$144 $144

-11.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 $1,688

$2,526 $2,526

-33.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$1,578 $1,578

-29.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$4,738 $4,738

-15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 $3,055

$2,693 $2,693

13.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K $14.4K

$4,190 $4,190

243.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$2,768 $2,768

358.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,558 $5,558

$4,931 $4,931

12.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Evanston, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Evanston, IL

$1.1K 43.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 42% $467

Groceries & Markets

Evanston, IL

$433 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.2% $14

Eating Out

Evanston, IL

$341 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 1.1% $3.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Evanston, IL

$329 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 1% $3.3

Clothing & Footwear

Evanston, IL

$157 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 4.5% $7.1

Sport & Entertainment

Evanston, IL

$105 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.1% $21

Getting Around

Evanston, IL

$96 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 2.9% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,688 in Evanston, IL 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 13% higher in Evanston, 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 $85 in Evanston, IL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $447 – making Evanston, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:16 1:16 PM

Same time as Evanston, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,486

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Evanston, IL Chicago, IL 20 km

From you

Evanston, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,572 in Evanston, IL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,858 per month in Evanston, IL 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 Evanston, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,688 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Evanston, IL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Evanston, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,572, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Evanston, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Evanston, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.