Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sheboygan, WI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Sheboygan, WI: $2,092 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Sheboygan, WI
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Sheboygan, WI Living Index
147

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

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Sheboygan, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,092

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,092 per month in Sheboygan, WI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sheboygan, WI $2,092
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,935 per month in Sheboygan, WI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sheboygan, WI $2,935
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Sheboygan, WI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sheboygan, WI $3,778
Chicago, IL $5,999

Sheboygan, WI is about 31% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sheboygan, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sheboygan, WI by 54%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.26 $14.26

$20.71 $20.71

-31.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 $50.8

$89.2 $89.2

-43.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 $9.63

$13.19 $13.19

-26.99%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$5.66 $5.66

-13.78%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$2.64 $2.64

-16.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.28 $2.28

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 $3.55

$6.87 $6.87

-48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$8.84 $8.84

-54.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.25 $1.25

-43.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.72 $3.72

-27.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$5.39 $5.39

-46.75%

Eggs

$3.50 $3.50

$4.74 $4.74

-26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 $12.33

$13.84 $13.84

-10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 $13.63

$14.40 $14.40

-5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.86 $29.86

$18.38 $18.38

62.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$5.22 $5.22

-44.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.98 $1.98

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.06 $4.06

-11.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$4.97 $4.97

10.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.67 $2.67

-28.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.66 $2.66

-3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.24 $2.24

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.13 $3.13

-46.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.81 $10.81

$13.82 $13.82

-21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 $12.74

$14.88 $14.88

-14.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.54 $2.54

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$3.51 $3.51

-48.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.43 $2.43

2.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.36 $45.36

$73.5 $73.5

-38.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.39 $1.39

46.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 $19.86

$25.03 $25.03

-20.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.20 $1.20

-28.33%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.32%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.79%

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

$173 $173

$194 $194

-11.02%

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

$52.2 $52.2

$69.5 $69.5

-24.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 $50.4

$61.6 $61.6

-18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.91 $32.91

$47.90 $47.90

-31.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$17.81 $17.81

-32.00%

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

$1,520 $1,520

$1,794 $1,794

-15.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.20 $45.20

$67.0 $67.0

-32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.40 $35.40

$52.1 $52.1

-32.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$102 $102

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 $85.5

$144 $144

-40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 $1,203

$2,526 $2,526

-52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 $940

$1,578 $1,578

-40.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 $1,476

$4,738 $4,738

-68.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 $1,271

$2,693 $2,693

-52.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,187 $2,187

$4,190 $4,190

-47.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,285 $2,285

$2,768 $2,768

-17.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,041 $4,041

$4,931 $4,931

-18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.81

-5.58%

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

Last update for Sheboygan, WI: 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

Sheboygan, WI

$940 44.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 67.9% $638

Groceries & Markets

Sheboygan, WI

$397 19%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 12.7% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sheboygan, WI

$276 13.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18.1% $50

Eating Out

Sheboygan, WI

$242 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 42.3% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Sheboygan, WI

$115 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 43% $49

Getting Around

Sheboygan, WI

$65 * 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 42.8% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Sheboygan, WI

$57 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 46.2% $26

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,203 in Sheboygan, WI 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 run about 22% higher in Chicago, 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 $51 in Sheboygan, WI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $447 – making Sheboygan, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sheboygan, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:18 3:18 AM

Same time as Sheboygan, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,288

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Sheboygan, WI Chicago, IL 210 km

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,092 in Sheboygan, WI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Sheboygan, WI comes out roughly 31% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,138 per month in Sheboygan, WI 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 Sheboygan, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,203 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Sheboygan, WI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sheboygan, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,092, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Sheboygan, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sheboygan, WI – 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 Sheboygan, WI. 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.