Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Atkinson, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Atkinson, WI: $2,292 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

112

Cost of Living Index in Fort Atkinson, WI
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Fort Atkinson, WI Living Index
152

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

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Fort Atkinson, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,292

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,292 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Atkinson, WI $2,292
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Atkinson, WI $3,361
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,430 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Atkinson, WI $4,430
Chicago, IL $6,115

Fort Atkinson, WI is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fort Atkinson, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fort Atkinson, WI by 69%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 $13.85

$20.65 $20.65

-32.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$90.2 $90.2

-15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$12.94 $12.94

-5.64%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$5.60 $5.60

-5.89%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.64 $2.64

10.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.27 $2.27

3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.98 $6.98

-14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 $8.28

$8.83 $8.83

-6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.27 $1.27

-35.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.80 $3.80

-43.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$5.30 $5.30

-46.04%

Eggs

$3.49 $3.49

$4.76 $4.76

-26.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$13.96 $13.96

-43.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$14.61 $14.61

-25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$18.77 $18.77

-43.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$5.19 $5.19

10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.98 $1.98

-13.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.93 $3.93

-12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$4.96 $4.96

-2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.76 $2.76

16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.22 $2.22

-10.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.98 $2.98

-33.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.14 $12.14

$14.02 $14.02

-13.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$15.28 $15.28

-46.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.58 $2.58

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.50 $3.50

-6.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.47 $2.47

-22.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.34 $3.34

-5.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.43 $1.43

24.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.11 $31.11

$24.32 $24.32

27.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.26 $1.26

-19.84%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-0.96%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.06%

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

$173 $173

$193 $193

-10.29%

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

$49.97 $49.97

$68.3 $68.3

-26.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$61.3 $61.3

-17.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.40 $36.40

$54.1 $54.1

-32.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 $8.16

$17.74 $17.74

-54.00%

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

$1,177 $1,177

$1,652 $1,652

-28.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-21.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.69 $19.69

$66.1 $66.1

-70.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$51.2 $51.2

-71.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.96 $44.96

$100 $100

-55.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 $64.4

$141 $141

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$2,446 $2,446

-35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$1,678 $1,678

-23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 $2,522

$4,717 $4,717

-46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,145 $2,145

$2,795 $2,795

-23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$4,105 $4,105

-38.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,233 $2,233

$2,650 $2,650

-15.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.81

-5.58%

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

Last update for Fort Atkinson, WI: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Atkinson, WI

$1.3K 56%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 30.6% $394

Groceries & Markets

Fort Atkinson, WI

$319 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 40.7% $130

Eating Out

Fort Atkinson, WI

$278 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 23.6% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Atkinson, WI

$273 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 17.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Atkinson, WI

$65 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 149% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Atkinson, WI

$53 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 69.9% $37

Getting Around

Fort Atkinson, WI

$20 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 381% $75

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,588 in Fort Atkinson, WI versus $2,446 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Fort Atkinson, WI versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $449 – making Fort Atkinson, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Atkinson, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:34 9:34 PM

Same time as Fort Atkinson, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,500

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Fort Atkinson, WI Chicago, IL 150 km

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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

Fort Atkinson, WI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,438 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fort Atkinson, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Fort Atkinson, WI and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Atkinson, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,292, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Fort Atkinson, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Atkinson, WI. 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.