Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Plainfield, IL: $2,628 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Plainfield, IL
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Plainfield, IL Living Index
146

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

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Plainfield, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,628

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,628 per month in Plainfield, IL vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Plainfield, IL $2,628
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,658 per month in Plainfield, IL vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Plainfield, IL $3,658
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,687 per month in Plainfield, IL vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Plainfield, IL $4,687
Chicago, IL $6,019

Plainfield, IL is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Plainfield, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Plainfield, IL by 94%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$20.39 $20.39

-25.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$88.6 $88.6

-16.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$12.85 $12.85

-5.06%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$5.78 $5.78

-9.52%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.74 $2.74

1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.26 $2.26

1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.88 $6.88

-10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$9.24 $9.24

-12.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.26 $1.26

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.55 $3.55

-19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$5.38 $5.38

-41.26%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$4.55 $4.55

-16.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$13.65 $13.65

-35.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$14.07 $14.07

-35.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$18.06 $18.06

-31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$5.16 $5.16

-15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.88 $3.88

-20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.83 $4.83

-53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.81 $2.81

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.67 $2.67

-14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.07 $2.07

-3.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.03 $3.03

-60.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 $6.93

$13.90 $13.90

-50.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 $10.02

$15.05 $15.05

-33.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.63 $2.63

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.45 $3.45

-12.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.17 $3.17

-20.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.70 $1.70

-6.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.28 $1.28

-13.28%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-30.71%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.99%

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

$171 $171

$192 $192

-11.12%

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

$44.57 $44.57

$69.6 $69.6

-35.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 $51.1

$62.2 $62.2

-17.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 $11.22

$17.83 $17.83

-37.07%

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

$1,019 $1,019

$1,815 $1,815

-43.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K $16.6K

$40.6K $40.6K

-59.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.95 $48.95

$66.2 $66.2

-26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$103 $103

-13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$143 $143

-16.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$2,531 $2,531

-37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 $1,626

$1,621 $1,621

0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,420 $2,420

$4,828 $4,828

-49.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 $2,424

$2,734 $2,734

-11.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,945 $6,945

$4,924 $4,924

41.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.78

-6.34%

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

Last update for Plainfield, IL: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Plainfield, IL

$1.6K 61.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 0.3% $4.8

Groceries & Markets

Plainfield, IL

$299 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 46.8% $140

Eating Out

Plainfield, IL

$288 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 19.6% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Plainfield, IL

$266 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 21.6% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Plainfield, IL

$116 * 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 40.6% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Plainfield, IL

$22 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 272% $61

Getting Around

Plainfield, IL

$10 * 0.4%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 824% $86

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,583 in Plainfield, IL 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 41% higher in Plainfield, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Plainfield, IL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $439 – making Plainfield, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Plainfield, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:32 11:32 PM

Same time as Plainfield, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,466

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,628 in Plainfield, IL, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Plainfield, IL comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,943 per month in Plainfield, IL 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 Plainfield, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,583 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Plainfield, IL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,628 in Plainfield, IL and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Plainfield, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.