Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in La Crosse, WI: $2,217 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
Learn more

La Crosse, WI Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,217

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,217 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $2,217
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $3,376
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,535 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $4,535
Chicago, IL $5,999

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

Both La Crosse, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – La Crosse, WI by 63%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$20.71 $20.71

-26.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 $69.5

$89.2 $89.2

-22.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$13.19 $13.19

-17.89%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$5.66 $5.66

1.94%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$2.64 $2.64

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.28 $2.28

-48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 $4.42

$6.87 $6.87

-35.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$8.84 $8.84

-32.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.25 $1.25

-41.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.72 $3.72

-34.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$5.39 $5.39

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.48 $2.48

$4.74 $4.74

-47.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$13.84 $13.84

-26.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$14.40 $14.40

-22.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.42 $16.42

$18.38 $18.38

-10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.22 $5.22

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.98 $1.98

-43.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.06 $4.06

-20.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.97 $4.97

5.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.67 $2.67

-26.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.66 $2.66

-11.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.24 $2.24

-10.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.13 $3.13

-45.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 $9.93

$13.82 $13.82

-28.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 $10.81

$14.88 $14.88

-27.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.54 $2.54

-27.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.51 $3.51

-41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.43 $2.43

-59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.33 $35.33

$73.5 $73.5

-51.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.18 $3.18

10.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.39 $1.39

30.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.84 $45.84

$25.03 $25.03

83.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.20 $1.20

-24.17%

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

$33.0K $33.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-5.88%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-8.37%

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

$208 $208

$194 $194

6.95%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$69.5 $69.5

-21.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$61.6 $61.6

6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 $40.79

$47.90 $47.90

-14.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.89 $3.89

$27.34 $27.34

-85.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$17.81 $17.81

-32.85%

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

$888 $888

$1,794 $1,794

-50.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 $63.3

$67.0 $67.0

-5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 $63.6

$52.1 $52.1

22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 $77.5

$102 $102

-23.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-18.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 $774

$2,526 $2,526

-69.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$1,578 $1,578

-35.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$4,738 $4,738

-53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

$2,693 $2,693

-28.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,972 $1,972

$4,190 $4,190

-52.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 $1,965

$2,768 $2,768

-29.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,185 $4,185

$4,931 $4,931

-15.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 55.2% $561

Groceries & Markets

La Crosse, WI

$340 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 31.7% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.8% $2.7

Eating Out

La Crosse, WI

$271 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 27.3% $74

Clothing & Footwear

La Crosse, WI

$145 6.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 13.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

La Crosse, WI

$65 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 29% $19

Getting Around

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 79.9% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in La Crosse, 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 18% 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 $69 in La Crosse, WI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $447 – making La Crosse, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:24 4:24 AM

Same time as La Crosse, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,680

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

La Crosse, WI Chicago, IL 370 km

From you

La Crosse, 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

La Crosse, WI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,217 in La Crosse, WI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – La Crosse, WI comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,326 per month in La Crosse, 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 La Crosse, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $774 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in La Crosse, WI 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 La Crosse, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,217, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In La Crosse, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Crosse, 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 La Crosse, 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.