Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ottawa, IL: $2,495 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa, IL
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Ottawa, IL Living Index
147

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

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Ottawa, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,495

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,495 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $2,495
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $3,579
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,663 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $4,663
Chicago, IL $5,999

Ottawa, IL is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ottawa, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Ottawa, IL by 83%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.87 $14.87

$20.71 $20.71

-28.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$89.2 $89.2

-32.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 $9.81

$13.19 $13.19

-25.63%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$5.66 $5.66

-15.37%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$2.64 $2.64

-17.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.28 $2.28

-21.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 $5.47

$6.87 $6.87

-20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$8.84 $8.84

-39.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.25 $1.25

-37.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.72 $3.72

-16.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$5.39 $5.39

-44.34%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$4.74 $4.74

-18.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$13.84 $13.84

-11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$14.40 $14.40

-58.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$18.38 $18.38

-32.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$5.22 $5.22

-32.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.98 $1.98

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$4.06 $4.06

-20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.97 $4.97

-12.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.67 $2.67

-24.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.66 $2.66

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.24 $2.24

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.13 $3.13

-61.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 $12.39

$13.82 $13.82

-10.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.88 $14.88

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.54 $2.54

-14.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.51 $3.51

11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.43 $2.43

-20.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$73.5 $73.5

-14.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.18 $3.18

-22.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.39 $1.39

13.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.24 $28.24

$25.03 $25.03

12.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.20 $1.20

-6.67%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.67%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.73%

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

$241 $241

$194 $194

23.75%

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

$45.26 $45.26

$69.5 $69.5

-34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$61.6 $61.6

10.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 $36.92

$47.90 $47.90

-22.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 $26.55

$27.34 $27.34

-2.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 $11.43

$17.81 $17.81

-35.82%

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

$1,012 $1,012

$1,794 $1,794

-43.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K $19.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-37.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.00 $49.00

$67.0 $67.0

-26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 $44.39

$52.1 $52.1

-14.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$102 $102

16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$144 $144

-15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$2,526 $2,526

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$1,578 $1,578

-19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 $2,510

$4,738 $4,738

-47.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,088 $2,088

$2,693 $2,693

-22.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,189 $3,189

$4,190 $4,190

-23.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,643 $2,643

$2,768 $2,768

-4.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,383 $2,383

$4,931 $4,931

-51.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.81

0.15%

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

Last update for Ottawa, IL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ottawa, IL

$1.3K 51.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.6% $302

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ottawa, IL

$354 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.1% $29

Groceries & Markets

Ottawa, IL

$314 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 42.7% $134

Eating Out

Ottawa, IL

$260 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 32.8% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Ottawa, IL

$150 6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 9.5% $14

Getting Around

Ottawa, IL

$81 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 15% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Ottawa, IL

$60 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 39.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,494 in Ottawa, 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 in Chicago, IL are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Ottawa, IL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $447 – making Ottawa, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ottawa, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

Same time as Ottawa, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,342

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,495 in Ottawa, IL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Ottawa, IL comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,742 per month in Ottawa, 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 Ottawa, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,494 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

Families tend to lean toward Ottawa, 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 Ottawa, 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.