Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,173 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index
147

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

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Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,173

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,173 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sioux City, IA $2,173
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,286 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sioux City, IA $3,286
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,398 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Sioux City, IA $4,398
Chicago, IL $5,999

Sioux City, IA is about 28% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sioux City, IA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Sioux City, IA by 60%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 $20.24

$20.71 $20.71

-2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 $54.9

$89.2 $89.2

-38.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$13.19 $13.19

-20.92%

Cappuccino

$6.15 $6.15

$5.66 $5.66

8.66%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$2.64 $2.64

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.28 $2.28

-24.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.87 $6.87

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 $5.73

$8.84 $8.84

-35.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.25 $1.25

-30.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.72 $3.72

-22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$5.39 $5.39

-36.92%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$4.74 $4.74

-25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$13.84 $13.84

-42.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$14.40 $14.40

-45.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 $16.86

$18.38 $18.38

-8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$5.22 $5.22

-10.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.06 $4.06

-0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$4.97 $4.97

-16.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.67 $2.67

-28.46%

Onion (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.66 $2.66

77.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.24 $2.24

4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.13 $3.13

-31.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$13.82 $13.82

-33.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.88 $14.88

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.54 $2.54

-30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.51 $3.51

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.43 $2.43

-27.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.59 $48.59

$73.5 $73.5

-33.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.18 $3.18

-35.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.39 $1.39

-12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 $19.99

$25.03 $25.03

-20.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.20 $1.20

-28.33%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-24.89%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.10%

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

$167 $167

$194 $194

-14.15%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$69.5 $69.5

-24.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$61.6 $61.6

13.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$47.90 $47.90

110.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$27.34 $27.34

-26.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 $9.88

$17.81 $17.81

-44.53%

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

$1,063 $1,063

$1,794 $1,794

-40.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-62.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.83 $42.83

$67.0 $67.0

-36.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.14 $21.14

$52.1 $52.1

-59.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$102 $102

-22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 $88.8

$144 $144

-38.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 $944

$2,526 $2,526

-62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 $934

$1,578 $1,578

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 $1,478

$4,738 $4,738

-68.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 $1,722

$2,693 $2,693

-36.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,622 $1,622

$4,190 $4,190

-61.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,604 $1,604

$2,768 $2,768

-42.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,696 $3,696

$4,931 $4,931

-25.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sioux City, IA

$934 43%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 69% $644

Groceries & Markets

Sioux City, IA

$342 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 30.6% $105

Eating Out

Sioux City, IA

$319 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 8.3% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sioux City, IA

$289 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 12.6% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Sioux City, IA

$121 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 30.8% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 57.3% $60

Getting Around

Sioux City, IA

$64 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 46.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $944 in Sioux City, IA 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 33% 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 $55 in Sioux City, IA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $447 – making Sioux City, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:51 1:51 PM

Same time as Sioux City, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,797

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sioux City, IA Chicago, IL 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sioux City, IA
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

Sioux City, IA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,173 in Sioux City, IA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Sioux City, IA comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,259 per month in Sioux City, IA 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 Sioux City, IA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $944 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Sioux City, IA 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 Sioux City, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,173, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Sioux City, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sioux City, IA – 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 Sioux City, IA. 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.