Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Green Bay, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Green Bay, WI: $2,027 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

97

Cost of Living Index in Green Bay, WI
Learn more

Green Bay, WI Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Green Bay, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,027

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Green Bay, WI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Green Bay, WI $2,027
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,769 per month in Green Bay, WI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Green Bay, WI $2,769
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,511 per month in Green Bay, WI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Green Bay, WI $3,511
Chicago, IL $5,999

Green Bay, WI is about 33% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Green Bay, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Green Bay, WI by 49%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.13 $14.13

$20.71 $20.71

-31.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$89.2 $89.2

-32.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 $8.77

$13.19 $13.19

-33.51%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$5.66 $5.66

-7.77%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.64 $2.64

-4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.28 $2.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$6.87 $6.87

-40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.84 $8.84

-33.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.25 $1.25

-36.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.72 $3.72

-25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.39 $5.39

-7.05%

Eggs

$3.51 $3.51

$4.74 $4.74

-25.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 $13.04

$13.84 $13.84

-5.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 $10.64

$14.40 $14.40

-26.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 $10.31

$18.38 $18.38

-43.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.22 $5.22

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.98 $1.98

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.06 $4.06

-1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.97 $4.97

-8.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.67 $2.67

-17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.66 $2.66

21.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.13 $3.13

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.70 $10.70

$13.82 $13.82

-22.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.07 $20.07

$14.88 $14.88

34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.54 $2.54

-19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.51 $3.51

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.94 $40.94

$73.5 $73.5

-44.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.20 $1.20

-14.17%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.98%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.71%

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

$171 $171

$194 $194

-11.90%

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

$40.49 $40.49

$69.5 $69.5

-41.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 $51.2

$61.6 $61.6

-16.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 $40.74

$47.90 $47.90

-14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 $11.81

$17.81 $17.81

-33.69%

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

$1,528 $1,528

$1,794 $1,794

-14.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$67.0 $67.0

-18.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.49 $35.49

$52.1 $52.1

-31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$102 $102

-11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$2,526 $2,526

-53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 $948

$1,578 $1,578

-39.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$4,738 $4,738

-63.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 $1,159

$2,693 $2,693

-56.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,621 $2,621

$4,190 $4,190

-37.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,999 $1,999

$2,768 $2,768

-27.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 $3,660

$4,931 $4,931

-25.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.81

-6.31%

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

Last update for Green Bay, WI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Green Bay, WI

$948 46.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 66.5% $630

Groceries & Markets

Green Bay, WI

$370 18.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 20.9% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Green Bay, WI

$263 13%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 23.8% $63

Eating Out

Green Bay, WI

$252 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 37.1% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Green Bay, WI

$81 * 4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 102% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Green Bay, WI

$64 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 29.7% $19

Getting Around

Green Bay, WI

$49 * 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 90.1% $44

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,177 in Green Bay, WI 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 35% 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 $60 in Green Bay, WI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $447 – making Green Bay, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Green Bay, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:12 10:12 PM

Same time as Green Bay, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

101,412

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Green Bay, WI Chicago, IL 290 km

From you

Green Bay, WI
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

Green Bay, WI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,027 in Green Bay, WI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Green Bay, WI comes out roughly 33% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,040 per month in Green Bay, WI 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 Green Bay, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,177 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Green Bay, WI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Green Bay, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,027, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Green Bay, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Green Bay, WI – 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 Green Bay, WI. 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.