Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockford, IL and Wheaton, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockford, IL: $2,166 a month against $2,571 in Wheaton, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Rockford, IL
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Rockford, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
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Wheaton, IL Living Index

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Rockford, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,166

/mo nomad

Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rockford, IL and in Wheaton, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rockford, IL and in Wheaton, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,166 per month in Rockford, IL vs $2,571 in Wheaton, IL, rent included.

Rockford, IL $2,166
Wheaton, IL $2,571

A couple spends around $3,480 per month in Rockford, IL vs $3,945 in Wheaton, IL, rent included.

Rockford, IL $3,480
Wheaton, IL $3,945

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in Rockford, IL vs $5,320 in Wheaton, IL, rent included.

Rockford, IL $4,794
Wheaton, IL $5,320

Rockford, IL is about 16% cheaper than Wheaton, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rockford, IL and Wheaton, IL sit above the global median – Rockford, IL by 60%, Wheaton, IL by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.72 $15.72

$16.13 $16.13

-2.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$69.3 $69.3

6.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.99 $11.99

-16.85%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$5.56 $5.56

-9.53%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$3.08 $3.08

-8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.33 $2.33

-14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 $4.59

$7.09 $7.09

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$8.19 $8.19

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.87 $0.87

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.83 $2.83

20.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.88 $2.88

84.03%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$3.67 $3.67

-20.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$9.92 $9.92

1.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.99 $13.99

$11.07 $11.07

26.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$14.89 $14.89

12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.67 $4.67

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.59 $1.59

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.93 $2.93

29.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.14 $2.14

140.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.70 $1.70

44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.14 $3.14

-17.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.89 $1.89

17.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.41 $2.41

-23.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 $10.97

$8.98 $8.98

22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$11.90 $11.90

32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.26 $2.26

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.72 $2.72

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$5.03 $5.03

-69.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 $55.5

$101 $101

-44.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$4.09 $4.09

-32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.80 $0.80

97.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.70 $20.70

$43.88 $43.88

-52.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.03 $1.03

0.97%

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

$33.5K $33.5K

$23.1K $23.1K

45.16%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.62%

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

$192 $192

$174 $174

10.81%

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

$45.71 $45.71

$51.7 $51.7

-11.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$68.9 $68.9

3.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 $41.82

$34.62 $34.62

20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.44 $25.44

Cinema Ticket

$14.03 $14.03

$12.08 $12.08

16.14%

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

$520 $520

$1,698 $1,698

-69.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,074 $4,074

$23.5K $23.5K

-82.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.23 $45.23

$57.7 $57.7

-21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.80 $35.80

$34.98 $34.98

2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$87.2 $87.2

6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$102 $102

10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 $1,293

$2,011 $2,011

-35.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 $925

$1,321 $1,321

-29.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$2,753 $2,753

-16.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 $2,040

$2,583 $2,583

-21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,476 $1,476

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,421 $1,421

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,398 $3,398

$5,537 $5,537

-38.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.69

-2.99%

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

Last update for Rockford, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Wheaton, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rockford, IL

$925 42.7%

Wheaton, IL

$1.3K 51.4% 42.8% $396

Groceries & Markets

Rockford, IL

$389 17.9%

Wheaton, IL

$337 13.1% 13.3% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rockford, IL

$309 14.3%

Wheaton, IL

$294 11.4% 4.8% $15

Eating Out

Rockford, IL

$272 12.6%

Wheaton, IL

$305 11.9% 12.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Rockford, IL

$129 6%

Wheaton, IL

$127 4.9% 1.8% $2.4

Getting Around

Rockford, IL

$72 3.3%

Wheaton, IL

$129 5% 78.3% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Rockford, IL

$70 3.2%

Wheaton, IL

$59 2.3% 15.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Rockford, IL versus $2,011 in Wheaton, 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 63% higher in Wheaton, 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 $74.0 in Rockford, IL versus $69.0 in Wheaton, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $337 – making Wheaton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rockford, IL

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🕒 Local time

21:34 9:34 PM

Same time as Rockford, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

148,655

54,611

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Rockford, IL Wheaton, IL 93 km

From you

Rockford, IL
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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

Rockford, IL vs Wheaton, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wheaton, IL is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,249 per month in Rockford, IL and $3,857 in Wheaton, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rockford, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Rockford, IL and $1,698 in Wheaton, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Wheaton, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rockford, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,166, than in Wheaton, IL at $2,571. In Rockford, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wheaton, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rockford, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wheaton, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.