Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stillwater, MN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Stillwater, MN: $2,884 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Stillwater, MN
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Stillwater, MN Living Index
153

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

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Stillwater, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,884

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,884 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Stillwater, MN $2,884
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,047 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Stillwater, MN $4,047
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,209 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Stillwater, MN $5,209
Chicago, IL $6,077

Stillwater, MN is about 9% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Stillwater, MN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Stillwater, MN by 114%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 $17.57

$21.58 $21.58

-18.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$88.7 $88.7

-8.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.20 $13.20

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$5.59 $5.59

4.65%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.63 $2.63

17.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.26 $2.26

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$7.11 $7.11

-3.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$9.23 $9.23

-12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.28 $1.28

-29.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.84 $3.84

-5.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$5.07 $5.07

28.01%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$4.84 $4.84

-25.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 $10.24

$14.17 $14.17

-27.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.54 $13.54

$14.61 $14.61

-7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.88 $18.88

$18.76 $18.76

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.19 $5.19

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.00 $2.00

-9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$4.00 $4.00

14.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.98 $4.98

5.42%

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.79 $2.79

54.48%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.65 $2.65

56.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.13 $2.13

7.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.09 $3.09

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.94 $12.94

$16.05 $16.05

-19.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.20 $15.20

3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.62 $2.62

9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.46 $3.46

67.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.9 $82.9

$75.1 $75.1

10.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.21 $3.21

57.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.39 $1.39

24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.82 $23.82

$25.02 $25.02

-4.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.24 $1.24

-18.55%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$37.2K $37.2K

-2.94%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.8K $25.8K

-1.41%

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

$131 $131

$192 $192

-31.77%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$67.8 $67.8

-19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$60.9 $60.9

9.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$127 $127

$53.6 $53.6

136.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.50 $34.50

$27.90 $27.90

23.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 $15.54

$17.80 $17.80

-12.70%

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

$1,383 $1,383

$1,554 $1,554

-11.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.8K $35.8K

$31.4K $31.4K

14.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$67.9 $67.9

-13.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.66 $44.66

$50.8 $50.8

-12.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 $90.5

$101 $101

-10.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.40 $49.40

$143 $143

-65.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 $1,492

$2,383 $2,383

-37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$1,712 $1,712

-11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$4,674 $4,674

-52.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 $2,083

$2,738 $2,738

-23.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,067 $3,067

$4,158 $4,158

-26.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,899 $2,899

$2,691 $2,691

7.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,855 $6,855

$4,894 $4,894

40.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.77

-2.51%

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

Last update for Stillwater, MN: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Stillwater, MN

$1.5K 52.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 13.2% $200

Groceries & Markets

Stillwater, MN

$437 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 3.2% $14

Eating Out

Stillwater, MN

$319 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 10.7% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stillwater, MN

$253 8.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 27.1% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Stillwater, MN

$158 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 43.4% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Stillwater, MN

$109 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 49.4% $54

Getting Around

Stillwater, MN

$97 * 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 1.5% $1.5

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,492 in Stillwater, MN versus $2,383 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 40% higher in Stillwater, MN, 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 $81.0 in Stillwater, MN versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $437 vs $451 – making Stillwater, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Stillwater, MN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:42 6:42 PM

Same time as Stillwater, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,818

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Stillwater, MN Chicago, IL 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Stillwater, MN
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,884 in Stillwater, MN, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,327 per month in Stillwater, MN and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Stillwater, MN and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,884 in Stillwater, MN and $3,185 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 $2,884 in Stillwater, MN to $3,185 in Chicago, 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 Stillwater, MN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.