Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Schaumburg, IL and in Chicago, IL: $3,270 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

157

Cost of Living Index in Schaumburg, IL
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Schaumburg, IL Living Index
152

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

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Schaumburg, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,270

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,270 per month in Schaumburg, IL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Schaumburg, IL $3,270
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,555 per month in Schaumburg, IL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Schaumburg, IL $4,555
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,840 per month in Schaumburg, IL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Schaumburg, IL $5,840
Chicago, IL $6,115

Schaumburg, IL costs about 4% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Schaumburg, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Schaumburg, IL by 141%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 $15.02

$20.65 $20.65

-27.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.2 $90.2

11.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$12.94 $12.94

2.32%

Cappuccino

$4.80 $4.80

$5.60 $5.60

-14.29%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$2.64 $2.64

-3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.27 $2.27

-2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.98 $6.98

-35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 $6.13

$8.83 $8.83

-30.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 $1.27

-32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.80 $3.80

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.50 $7.50

$5.30 $5.30

41.51%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$4.76 $4.76

-15.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$13.96 $13.96

6.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.54 $13.54

$14.61 $14.61

-7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 $17.42

$18.77 $18.77

-7.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$5.19 $5.19

3.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.98 $1.98

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.93 $3.93

22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.96 $4.96

-17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.76 $2.76

21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.76 $2.76

18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.22 $2.22

-11.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.98 $2.98

14.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.77 $17.77

$14.02 $14.02

26.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.19 $19.19

$15.28 $15.28

25.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.50 $3.50

59.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 $1.26

-26.19%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-26.16%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

12.46%

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

$339 $339

$193 $193

76.17%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$68.3 $68.3

13.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$149 $149

$61.3 $61.3

143.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 $64.1

$54.1 $54.1

18.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.45 $40.45

$27.92 $27.92

44.88%

Cinema Ticket

$19.63 $19.63

$17.74 $17.74

10.65%

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

$1,652 $1,652

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$85.0K $85.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

173.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 $74.3

$66.1 $66.1

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$51.2 $51.2

-1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$100 $100

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$141 $141

-14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 $1,896

$2,446 $2,446

-22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 $1,713

$1,678 $1,678

2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 $2,769

$4,717 $4,717

-41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,507 $2,507

$2,795 $2,795

-10.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,132 $2,132

$4,105 $4,105

-48.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 $2,090

$2,650 $2,650

-21.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,001 $5,001

$4,866 $4,866

2.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.81

-10.43%

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

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Schaumburg, IL

$1.7K 52.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Schaumburg, IL

$566 17.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 43.1% $244

Groceries & Markets

Schaumburg, IL

$461 * 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 2.4% $11

Eating Out

Schaumburg, IL

$271 8.3%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 26.5% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Schaumburg, IL

$156 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 3.3% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Schaumburg, IL

$103 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 13.3% $14

Getting Around

Schaumburg, IL

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,896 in Schaumburg, IL versus $2,446 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 3% higher in Schaumburg, 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 $101 in Schaumburg, IL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Schaumburg, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Schaumburg, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

78,723

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 4% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,905 per month in Schaumburg, IL and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Schaumburg, IL and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 4%.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Schaumburg, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.