Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Normal, IL: $2,272 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
Learn more

Normal, IL Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,272

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,272 per month in Normal, IL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Normal, IL $2,272
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,329 per month in Normal, IL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Normal, IL $3,329
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,386 per month in Normal, IL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Normal, IL $4,386
Chicago, IL $5,999

Normal, IL is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Normal, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Normal, IL by 67%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.32 $11.32

$20.71 $20.71

-45.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.63 $49.63

$89.2 $89.2

-44.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$13.19 $13.19

-25.47%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$5.66 $5.66

-11.31%

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

$3.42 $3.42

$2.64 $2.64

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.28 $2.28

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.87 $6.87

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$8.84 $8.84

-34.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.25 $1.25

-40.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.72 $3.72

-29.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$5.39 $5.39

-38.96%

Eggs

$3.76 $3.76

$4.74 $4.74

-20.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 $8.90

$13.84 $13.84

-35.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$14.40 $14.40

-11.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$18.38 $18.38

2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$5.22 $5.22

27.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.98 $1.98

-37.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$4.06 $4.06

64.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.97 $4.97

1.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.67 $2.67

21.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.66 $2.66

20.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.24 $2.24

-11.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.13 $3.13

-26.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.32 $11.32

$13.82 $13.82

-18.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 $10.99

$14.88 $14.88

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.54 $2.54

-24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.51 $3.51

-13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.43 $2.43

4.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.1 $91.1

$73.5 $73.5

23.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 $5.57

$3.18 $3.18

75.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.39 $1.39

-25.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.02 $18.02

$25.03 $25.03

-28.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.20 $1.20

-25.83%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.46%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.09%

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

$273 $273

$194 $194

40.44%

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

$97.9 $97.9

$69.5 $69.5

40.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 $64.6

$61.6 $61.6

4.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.33 $39.33

$47.90 $47.90

-17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 $11.76

$17.81 $17.81

-33.97%

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

$1,061 $1,061

$1,794 $1,794

-40.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.92 $29.92

$67.0 $67.0

-55.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.57 $40.57

$52.1 $52.1

-22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 $66.5

$102 $102

-34.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$144 $144

4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 $974

$2,526 $2,526

-61.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$1,578 $1,578

-42.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 $1,800

$4,738 $4,738

-62.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$2,693 $2,693

-41.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,690 $9,690

$4,190 $4,190

131.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 $4,164

$4,931 $4,931

-15.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.81

-3.82%

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

Last update for Normal, IL: 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

Normal, IL

$905 39.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 74.4% $673

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Normal, IL

$436 19.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 25.3% $110

Groceries & Markets

Normal, IL

$390 17.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 14.6% $57

Eating Out

Normal, IL

$237 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 45.5% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Normal, IL

$129 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 26.9% $35

Getting Around

Normal, IL

$112 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 16.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Normal, IL

$63 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 32.9% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $974 in Normal, IL 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 $50 in Normal, IL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $447 – making Normal, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

Same time as Normal, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,497

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Normal, IL Chicago, IL 190 km

From you

Normal, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,272 in Normal, IL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Normal, IL comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,408 per month in Normal, IL 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 Normal, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $974 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Normal, IL 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 $2,272 in Normal, IL 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 Normal, IL – 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 Normal, IL. 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.