Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Evanston, IL: $2,592 a month against $2,971 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Colorado Springs, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Evanston, IL
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Evanston, IL Living Index
146

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

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Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,592

/mo nomad

Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,971

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Colorado Springs, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,592 in Evanston, IL versus $2,971 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Evanston, IL $2,592
Colorado Springs, CO $2,971

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,449 in Evanston, IL versus $4,310 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Evanston, IL $4,449
Colorado Springs, CO $4,310

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,305 in Evanston, IL versus $5,650 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Evanston, IL $6,305
Colorado Springs, CO $5,650

Living in Evanston, IL costs roughly 13% less than in Colorado Springs, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Evanston, IL 92% above, Colorado Springs, CO 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.26 $21.26

$19.69 $19.69

7.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$84.8 $84.8

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 $12.75

$13.07 $13.07

-2.45%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$5.42 $5.42

4.80%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$2.76 $2.76

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.21 $2.21

2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$5.98 $5.98

19.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$7.27 $7.27

12.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.93 $0.93

11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.17 $3.17

23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.30 $4.30

0.47%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$5.98 $5.98

-19.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$14.66 $14.66

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$13.27 $13.27

12.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 $20.11

$19.69 $19.69

2.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$5.65 $5.65

-5.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.42 $1.42

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.43 $4.43

-9.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.83 $4.83

-1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.40 $2.40

11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.58 $2.58

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.37 $2.37

-11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.99 $1.99

18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$10.55 $10.55

1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.98 $14.98

$19.04 $19.04

-21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.36 $3.36

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.76 $4.76

-28.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.77 $1.77

37.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 $75.2

$62.7 $62.7

20.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.72 $3.72

10.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.41 $1.41

1.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.26 $43.26

$24.85 $24.85

74.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.01 $1.01

-0.99%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$25.4K $25.4K

39.09%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

-1.59%

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

$192 $192

$204 $204

-5.75%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$94.0 $94.0

-34.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$103 $103

-29.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$59.0 $59.0

29.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.8 $60.8

$32.93 $32.93

84.48%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$14.70 $14.70

0.88%

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

$1,516 $1,516

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$24.2K $24.2K

30.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 $64.7

$57.3 $57.3

12.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$35.61 $35.61

42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$80.4 $80.4

34.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$103 $103

22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 $1,645

$1,758 $1,758

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 $1,118

$1,511 $1,511

-26.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 $3,989

$2,651 $2,651

50.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,954 $2,954

$2,419 $2,419

22.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K $14.6K

$2,581 $2,581

464.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.8K $12.8K

$2,436 $2,436

426.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,335 $5,335

$4,233 $4,233

26.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.72

0.74%

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

Last update for Evanston, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Evanston, IL

$1.1K 43.1%

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.5K 50.9% 35.2% $393

Groceries & Markets

Evanston, IL

$441 17%

Colorado Springs, CO

$440 14.8% 0.2% $0.8

Eating Out

Evanston, IL

$348 13.4%

Colorado Springs, CO

$326 11% 6.4% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Evanston, IL

$326 12.6%

Colorado Springs, CO

$400 13.5% 22.9% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Evanston, IL

$157 6.1%

Colorado Springs, CO

$125 4.2% 20.9% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Evanston, IL

$106 4.1%

Colorado Springs, CO

$88 3% 16.4% $17

Getting Around

Evanston, IL

$96 3.7%

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 2.7% 16.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,645 in Evanston, IL and $1,758 in Colorado Springs, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Evanston, IL pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86.0 in Evanston, IL vs $85.0 in Colorado Springs, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $441 vs $440 per month, with Colorado Springs, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Evanston, IL

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🕒 Local time

15:33 3:33 PM

14:33 2:33 PM

1 h behind Evanston, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,486

478,961

💱 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

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

From you

Evanston, IL
Colorado Springs, CO

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

Evanston, IL is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Evanston, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,645 in Evanston, IL versus $1,758 in Colorado Springs, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Colorado Springs, CO pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Evanston, IL – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $85.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Evanston, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find Evanston, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.