Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marion, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Marion, IL: $2,437 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

119

Cost of Living Index in Marion, IL
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Marion, IL Living Index
152

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

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Marion, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,437

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,437 per month in Marion, IL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Marion, IL $2,437
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,587 per month in Marion, IL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Marion, IL $3,587
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,737 per month in Marion, IL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Marion, IL $4,737
Chicago, IL $6,115

Marion, IL is about 22% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Marion, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Marion, IL by 80%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 $17.67

$20.65 $20.65

-14.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$90.2 $90.2

-15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$12.94 $12.94

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$5.60 $5.60

2.32%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$2.64 $2.64

-10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.27 $2.27

-12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 $6.89

$6.98 $6.98

-1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$8.83 $8.83

-9.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.27 $1.27

-39.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 $1.63

$3.80 $3.80

-57.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$5.30 $5.30

-25.66%

Eggs

$2.99 $2.99

$4.76 $4.76

-37.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$13.96 $13.96

-68.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 $11.43

$14.61 $14.61

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.99 $18.99

$18.77 $18.77

1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$5.19 $5.19

11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.98 $1.98

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$3.93 $3.93

45.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.96 $4.96

-3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.76 $2.76

18.48%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.76 $2.76

54.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.98 $2.98

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.08 $9.08

$14.02 $14.02

-35.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 $10.17

$15.28 $15.28

-33.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.58 $2.58

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$3.50 $3.50

-54.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.47 $2.47

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.34 $3.34

-39.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.43 $1.43

-2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.20 $20.20

$24.32 $24.32

-16.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.03%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.11%

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

$150 $150

$193 $193

-22.07%

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

$84.3 $84.3

$68.3 $68.3

23.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 $73.7

$61.3 $61.3

20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 $41.51

$54.1 $54.1

-23.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 $9.84

$17.74 $17.74

-44.53%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$1,652 $1,652

2.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-21.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.46 $25.46

$66.1 $66.1

-61.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.36 $33.36

$51.2 $51.2

-34.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 $74.9

$100 $100

-25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 $86.1

$141 $141

-38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$2,446 $2,446

-35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$1,678 $1,678

-23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 $2,503

$4,717 $4,717

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,135 $2,135

$2,795 $2,795

-23.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,461 $2,461

$4,105 $4,105

-40.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,586 $2,586

$2,650 $2,650

-2.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.81

-3.08%

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

Last update for Marion, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Marion, IL

$1.3K 52.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 30.4% $391

Groceries & Markets

Marion, IL

$352 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 27.8% $98

Eating Out

Marion, IL

$314 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9.3% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marion, IL

$308 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 4.6% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Marion, IL

$99 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 63.1% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Marion, IL

$61 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 46.4% $28

Getting Around

Marion, IL

$16 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 487% $79

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,576 in Marion, IL versus $2,446 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 Marion, IL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $449 – making Marion, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Marion, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

Same time as Marion, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,193

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Marion, IL Chicago, IL 470 km

From you

Marion, IL
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,437 in Marion, IL, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,656 per month in Marion, IL and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marion, IL, 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 Marion, IL and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,437 in Marion, IL and $3,139 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 $2,437 in Marion, IL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Marion, IL. 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.