Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Urbana, IL: $1,871 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

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

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

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Urbana, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,871

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,871 per month in Urbana, IL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Urbana, IL $1,871
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $2,123 per month in Urbana, IL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Urbana, IL $2,123
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $2,374 per month in Urbana, IL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Urbana, IL $2,374
Chicago, IL $6,077

Urbana, IL is about 41% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Urbana, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Urbana, IL by 38%, Chicago, IL by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.83 $14.83

$20.65 $20.65

-28.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$90.2 $90.2

-34.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$12.94 $12.94

-23.11%

Cappuccino

$4.71 $4.71

$5.60 $5.60

-15.89%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$2.64 $2.64

-14.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.27 $2.27

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$6.98 $6.98

-21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 $5.65

$8.83 $8.83

-36.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.27 $1.27

-38.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.80 $3.80

-20.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$5.30 $5.30

-43.21%

Eggs

$3.82 $3.82

$4.76 $4.76

-19.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.96 $13.96

-12.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$14.61 $14.61

-38.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$18.77 $18.77

-24.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.19 $5.19

-22.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.98 $1.98

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.93 $3.93

-19.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.96 $4.96

-8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.76 $2.76

-19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.76 $2.76

-3.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.22 $2.22

3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.98 $2.98

-54.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.02 $14.02

-12.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$15.28 $15.28

-0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.58 $2.58

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.50 $3.50

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.47 $2.47

-59.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.34 $3.34

-9.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.43 $1.43

-58.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.08 $25.08

$24.32 $24.32

3.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.26 $1.26

-7.94%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.91%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.84%

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

$242 $242

$193 $193

25.39%

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

$44.28 $44.28

$68.3 $68.3

-35.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 $60.7

$61.3 $61.3

-0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$17.74 $17.74

-25.93%

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

$1,003 $1,003

$1,652 $1,652

-39.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K $20.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-34.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.69 $48.69

$66.1 $66.1

-26.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$51.2 $51.2

-0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$100 $100

-2.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$141 $141

-14.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 $866

$2,446 $2,446

-64.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 $746

$1,678 $1,678

-55.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 $1,774

$4,105 $4,105

-56.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,732 $1,732

$2,650 $2,650

-34.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,774 $6,774

$4,866 $4,866

39.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.81

0.15%

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

Last update for Urbana, 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

Urbana, IL

$746 39.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 125% $932

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Urbana, IL

$347 18.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 7% $24

Groceries & Markets

Urbana, IL

$340 18.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 32.2% $109

Eating Out

Urbana, IL

$260 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 32.3% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Urbana, IL

$143 7.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 12.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Urbana, IL

$26 * 1.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 241% $63

Getting Around

Urbana, IL

$10 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 856% $85

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $866 in Urbana, IL 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 38% higher in Urbana, IL, 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 $59.0 in Urbana, IL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $451 – making Urbana, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Urbana, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:15 5:15 AM

Same time as Urbana, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

41,250

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,871 in Urbana, IL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 70% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,807 per month in Urbana, IL 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 Urbana, 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 $59.0 in Urbana, IL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Urbana, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,871, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Urbana, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,871 in Urbana, IL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Urbana, IL. 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.