Comparación del coste de vida entre Fort Madison, IA y Chicago, IL Comparación del coste de vida entre Fort Madison, IA y Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,534 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $3,009 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,759 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $4,593 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,983 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $6,177 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Fort Madison, IA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fort Madison, IA by 89%, Chicago, IL by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.29 $19.29

$20.35 $20.35

-5.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$102 $102

-25.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 $11.07

$11.98 $11.98

-7.60%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$5.70 $5.70

-9.47%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$3.00 $3.00

-17.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.46 $2.46

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$6.87 $6.87

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$8.09 $8.09

-12.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.03 $1.03

-2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.95 $3.95

-13.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.42 $5.42

-20.11%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$4.50 $4.50

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

$14.53 $14.53

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$14.89 $14.89

-24.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$18.98 $18.98

-19.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$5.39 $5.39

-10.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.77 $1.77

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.35 $4.35

-0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.53 $4.53

6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.53 $2.53

13.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.81 $2.81

0.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.51 $2.51

-20.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.67 $2.67

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.44 $9.44

$14.88 $14.88

-36.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.22 $15.22

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.46 $2.46

-27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.53 $3.53

-3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.56 $2.56

-22.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 $74.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.19 $3.19

10.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.41 $1.41

12.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.61 $28.61

$25.49 $25.49

12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.04 $1.04

-12.50%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$32.2K $32.2K

-8.61%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-5.73%

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

$190 $190

$184 $184

3.53%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$63.1 $63.1

-17.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$66.4 $66.4

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 $42.96

$75.9 $75.9

-43.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 $13.06

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 $13.26

$15.25 $15.25

-13.05%

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

$1,308 $1,308

$2,090 $2,090

-37.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$39.2K $39.2K

-41.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$64.2 $64.2

-20.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.04 $40.04

$51.0 $51.0

-21.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$97.2 $97.2

-9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$149 $149

-23.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$2,341 $2,341

-32.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$1,572 $1,572

-12.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,655 $2,655

$4,741 $4,741

-44.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 $2,231

$2,819 $2,819

-20.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,709 $2,709

$3,900 $3,900

-30.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 $2,365

$2,638 $2,638

-10.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.6

-1.36%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Fort Madison, IA: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Chicago, IL: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,587 in Fort Madison, IA versus $2,341 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 Madison, IA versus $102 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $447 – making Fort Madison, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.

Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales

Fort Madison, IA vs Chicago, IL: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes

Monthly costs with rent: $2,534 in Fort Madison, IA, $3,009 in Chicago, IL – roughly 19% apart. Chicago, IL costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,801 per month in Fort Madison, IA and $4,513 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 Madison, IA, 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 Madison, IA and $102 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,534 in Fort Madison, IA and $3,009 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,534 in Fort Madison, IA to $3,009 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 Madison, IA. 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.