Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Wayne, IN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Wayne, IN: $2,122 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Fort Wayne, IN
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Fort Wayne, IN Living Index
147

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

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Fort Wayne, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,122

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,122 per month in Fort Wayne, IN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Wayne, IN $2,122
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,040 per month in Fort Wayne, IN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Wayne, IN $3,040
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,958 per month in Fort Wayne, IN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Fort Wayne, IN $3,958
Chicago, IL $5,999

Fort Wayne, IN is about 30% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fort Wayne, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Fort Wayne, IN by 56%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.16 $15.16

$20.71 $20.71

-26.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 $54.8

$89.2 $89.2

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$13.19 $13.19

-23.20%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$5.66 $5.66

-21.55%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$2.64 $2.64

-13.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.28 $2.28

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.87 $6.87

-33.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$8.84 $8.84

-34.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.25 $1.25

-41.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.72 $3.72

-13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$5.39 $5.39

-16.51%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$4.74 $4.74

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$13.84 $13.84

-18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 $9.51

$14.40 $14.40

-33.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 $14.84

$18.38 $18.38

-19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$5.22 $5.22

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.98 $1.98

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.06 $4.06

-9.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.97 $4.97

-12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.67 $2.67

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.66 $2.66

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.24 $2.24

9.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

$3.13 $3.13

-59.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 $11.25

$13.82 $13.82

-18.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.88 $14.88

-18.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.54 $2.54

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.51 $3.51

-2.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.43 $2.43

-39.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 $54.1

$73.5 $73.5

-26.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.18 $3.18

-6.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.39 $1.39

12.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.92 $26.92

$25.03 $25.03

7.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.20 $1.20

-19.17%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.45%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.54%

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

$198 $198

$194 $194

1.75%

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

$50.1 $50.1

$69.5 $69.5

-27.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 $58.5

$61.6 $61.6

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.65 $35.65

$47.90 $47.90

-25.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.97 $23.97

$27.34 $27.34

-12.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$17.81 $17.81

-27.29%

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

$1,369 $1,369

$1,794 $1,794

-23.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K $20.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-36.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 $53.8

$67.0 $67.0

-19.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.28 $39.28

$52.1 $52.1

-24.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$102 $102

6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 $94.7

$144 $144

-34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 $1,303

$2,526 $2,526

-48.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 $942

$1,578 $1,578

-40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,482 $2,482

$4,738 $4,738

-47.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$2,693 $2,693

-47.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 $2,645

$4,190 $4,190

-36.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 $1,595

$2,768 $2,768

-42.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,530 $3,530

$4,931 $4,931

-28.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.81

-4.11%

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

Last update for Fort Wayne, IN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Wayne, IN

$942 44.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 67.5% $636

Groceries & Markets

Fort Wayne, IN

$350 16.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 27.7% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Wayne, IN

$306 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.2% $19

Eating Out

Fort Wayne, IN

$257 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 34.2% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Wayne, IN

$133 6.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 23.1% $31

Getting Around

Fort Wayne, IN

$71 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 31.9% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Wayne, IN

$62 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 35.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,303 in Fort Wayne, IN 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 40% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $447 – making Fort Wayne, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Wayne, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:11 1:11 PM

12:11 12:11 PM

1 h behind Fort Wayne, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,637

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Fort Wayne, IN Chicago, IL 230 km

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,122 in Fort Wayne, IN, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Fort Wayne, IN comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,183 per month in Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,303 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Fort Wayne, IN and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,122 in Fort Wayne, IN and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fort Wayne, 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 Fort Wayne, 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.