Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Evansville, IN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Evansville, IN: $2,202 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Evansville, IN
Learn more

Evansville, IN Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Evansville, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,202

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Evansville, IN vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Evansville, IN $2,202
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,198 per month in Evansville, IN vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Evansville, IN $3,198
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,194 per month in Evansville, IN vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Evansville, IN $4,194
Chicago, IL $6,019

Evansville, IN is about 28% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Evansville, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Evansville, IN by 63%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$20.39 $20.39

-2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$88.6 $88.6

-31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$12.85 $12.85

-6.23%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$5.78 $5.78

-12.11%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$2.74 $2.74

-2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.26 $2.26

-14.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$6.88 $6.88

-28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$9.24 $9.24

-24.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.26 $1.26

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.55 $3.55

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$5.38 $5.38

-11.15%

Eggs

$3.16 $3.16

$4.55 $4.55

-30.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 $9.23

$13.65 $13.65

-32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$14.07 $14.07

-51.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 $16.96

$18.06 $18.06

-6.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$5.16 $5.16

11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.88 $3.88

28.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$4.83 $4.83

-12.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.81 $2.81

-14.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.67 $2.67

8.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.07 $2.07

-3.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$3.03 $3.03

-30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 $11.20

$13.90 $13.90

-19.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$15.05 $15.05

-19.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.63 $2.63

-30.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.45 $3.45

-25.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 $0.77

$2.43 $2.43

-68.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$75.3 $75.3

-20.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.17 $3.17

-37.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.59 $34.59

$24.90 $24.90

38.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.28 $1.28

-29.69%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.68%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.34%

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

$231 $231

$192 $192

20.31%

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

$60.7 $60.7

$69.6 $69.6

-12.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$62.2 $62.2

4.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.53 $28.53

$47.79 $47.79

-40.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 $25.19

$27.10 $27.10

-7.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$17.83 $17.83

-33.03%

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

$271 $271

$1,815 $1,815

-85.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-62.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$66.2 $66.2

-14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.36 $42.36

$51.4 $51.4

-17.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$103 $103

-24.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$143 $143

0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$2,531 $2,531

-46.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 $921

$1,621 $1,621

-43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,607 $2,607

$4,828 $4,828

-46.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 $1,458

$2,734 $2,734

-46.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,711 $1,711

$4,163 $4,163

-58.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,401 $1,401

$2,723 $2,723

-48.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,378 $3,378

$4,924 $4,924

-31.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

6.78

-2.95%

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

Last update for Evansville, IN: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Evansville, IN

$921 41.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 76% $700

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Evansville, IN

$357 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 9.2% $33

Groceries & Markets

Evansville, IN

$340 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 29.1% $99

Eating Out

Evansville, IN

$313 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 10% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Evansville, IN

$145 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 13.1% $19

Getting Around

Evansville, IN

$74 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 31.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Evansville, IN

$52 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 59.2% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,350 in Evansville, IN versus $2,531 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 46% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Evansville, IN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $439 – making Evansville, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Evansville, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:52 11:52 AM

Same time as Evansville, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,738

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Evansville, IN Chicago, IL 430 km

From you

Evansville, IN
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,202 in Evansville, IN, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Evansville, IN comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,302 per month in Evansville, IN and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Evansville, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,350 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Evansville, IN and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Evansville, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Evansville, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Evansville, IN – 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 Evansville, IN. 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.