Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Parkersburg, WV and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Parkersburg, WV: $1,896 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Parkersburg, WV
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Parkersburg, WV Living Index
147

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

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Parkersburg, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$1,896

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,896 per month in Parkersburg, WV vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Parkersburg, WV $1,896
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,741 per month in Parkersburg, WV vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Parkersburg, WV $2,741
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,587 per month in Parkersburg, WV vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Parkersburg, WV $3,587
Chicago, IL $5,999

Parkersburg, WV is about 38% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Parkersburg, WV and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Parkersburg, WV by 39%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.30 $14.30

$20.71 $20.71

-30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 $57.8

$89.2 $89.2

-35.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 $9.51

$13.19 $13.19

-27.90%

Cappuccino

$4.26 $4.26

$5.66 $5.66

-24.73%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$2.64 $2.64

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.28 $2.28

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 $2.79

$6.87 $6.87

-59.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$8.84 $8.84

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.25 $1.25

-41.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.72 $3.72

-24.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$5.39 $5.39

-30.24%

Eggs

$1.87 $1.87

$4.74 $4.74

-60.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 $11.19

$13.84 $13.84

-19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.44 $24.44

$14.40 $14.40

69.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$18.38 $18.38

-9.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.22 $5.22

11.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.98 $1.98

-2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$4.06 $4.06

-29.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.97 $4.97

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.67 $2.67

-37.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.66 $2.66

3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.24 $2.24

-21.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$3.13 $3.13

-47.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 $7.26

$13.82 $13.82

-47.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 $19.56

$14.88 $14.88

31.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.54 $2.54

-31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$3.51 $3.51

-48.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.43 $2.43

-58.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.68 $49.68

$73.5 $73.5

-32.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.18 $3.18

61.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.39 $1.39

-12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 $15.03

$25.03 $25.03

-39.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.21%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.61%

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

$198 $198

$194 $194

1.80%

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

$50.5 $50.5

$69.5 $69.5

-27.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 $57.8

$61.6 $61.6

-6.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.59 $11.59

$47.90 $47.90

-75.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$17.81 $17.81

-20.61%

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

$543 $543

$1,794 $1,794

-69.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,599 $6,599

$31.9K $31.9K

-79.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.48 $40.48

$67.0 $67.0

-39.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 $47.87

$52.1 $52.1

-8.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$102 $102

-29.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$144 $144

-16.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 $894

$2,526 $2,526

-64.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 $693

$1,578 $1,578

-56.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$4,738 $4,738

-70.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$988 $988

$2,693 $2,693

-63.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,205 $1,205

$4,190 $4,190

-71.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 $1,188

$2,768 $2,768

-57.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 $1,638

$4,931 $4,931

-66.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.81

-1.03%

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

Last update for Parkersburg, WV: 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

Parkersburg, WV

$693 36.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 128% $885

Groceries & Markets

Parkersburg, WV

$431 22.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.8% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Parkersburg, WV

$306 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.3% $19

Eating Out

Parkersburg, WV

$234 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 47.1% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Parkersburg, WV

$126 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 30.6% $38

Getting Around

Parkersburg, WV

$65 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 43.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Parkersburg, WV

$40 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 109% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Parkersburg, WV 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 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58 in Parkersburg, WV versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $447 – making Parkersburg, WV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Parkersburg, WV

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:01 4:01 PM

15:01 3:01 PM

1 h behind Parkersburg, WV

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,000

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

Parkersburg, WV Chicago, IL 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Parkersburg, WV
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,896 in Parkersburg, WV, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Parkersburg, WV comes out roughly 38% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,843 per month in Parkersburg, WV 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 Parkersburg, WV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $894 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58 in Parkersburg, WV and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Parkersburg, WV, where all-in costs run around $1,896, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Parkersburg, WV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Parkersburg, WV – 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 Parkersburg, WV. 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.