Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Madison, WI: $2,931 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index
146

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

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Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,931

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,931 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Madison, WI $2,931
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $4,224 per month in Madison, WI vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Madison, WI $4,224
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,517 per month in Madison, WI vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Madison, WI $5,517
Chicago, IL $6,019

Madison, WI is about 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Madison, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 117%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 $19.92

$20.39 $20.39

-2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$88.6 $88.6

-26.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.17 $13.17

$12.85 $12.85

2.49%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.78 $5.78

-2.08%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.74 $2.74

10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.26 $2.26

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.62 $6.62

$6.88 $6.88

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$9.24 $9.24

-16.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.26 $1.26

-24.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.55 $3.55

-10.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.38 $5.38

-22.30%

Eggs

$3.72 $3.72

$4.55 $4.55

-18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$13.65 $13.65

6.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 $12.15

$14.07 $14.07

-13.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 $20.36

$18.06 $18.06

12.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.16 $5.16

-11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.98 $1.98

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.88 $3.88

27.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$4.83 $4.83

-3.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.81 $2.81

-7.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.67 $2.67

5.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.07 $2.07

0.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.03 $3.03

-26.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 $10.89

$13.90 $13.90

-21.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$15.05 $15.05

4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.63 $2.63

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 $4.40

$3.45 $3.45

27.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.43 $2.43

-20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 $65.5

$75.3 $75.3

-12.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.17 $3.17

23.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.70 $1.70

15.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.61 $44.61

$24.90 $24.90

79.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.28 $1.28

-16.41%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-15.31%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.84%

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

$266 $266

$192 $192

38.43%

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

$45.57 $45.57

$69.6 $69.6

-34.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 $80.5

$62.2 $62.2

29.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 $51.6

$47.79 $47.79

7.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 $10.12

$27.10 $27.10

-62.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$17.83 $17.83

-17.55%

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

$1,594 $1,594

$1,815 $1,815

-12.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$40.6K $40.6K

-46.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 $63.4

$66.2 $66.2

-4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 $46.65

$51.4 $51.4

-9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$103 $103

4.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$143 $143

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 $1,723

$2,531 $2,531

-31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 $1,465

$1,621 $1,621

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,146 $3,146

$4,828 $4,828

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 $2,438

$2,734 $2,734

-10.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,429 $4,429

$4,163 $4,163

6.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 $2,478

$2,723 $2,723

-9.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,430 $4,430

$4,924 $4,924

-10.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.78

0.44%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Madison, WI

$1.5K 50%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 10.7% $156

Groceries & Markets

Madison, WI

$416 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 5.5% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madison, WI

$392 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 17.4% $68

Eating Out

Madison, WI

$337 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 2% $6.9

Clothing & Footwear

Madison, WI

$152 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 7.3% $11

Getting Around

Madison, WI

$87 3%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 11.1% $9.7

Sport & Entertainment

Madison, WI

$81 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 3% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,723 in Madison, WI versus $2,531 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 11% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Madison, WI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $439 – making Madison, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:31 4:31 AM

Same time as Madison, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,951

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,931 in Madison, WI, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Madison, WI comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,396 per month in Madison, WI and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,723 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Madison, WI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,931 in Madison, WI to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Madison, 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.