Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Versailles and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Versailles: $2,485 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Versailles, France
Chicago, IL, United States
Versailles
🇫🇷 France
$2,485
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,485 per month in Versailles vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Versailles $2,485
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,938 per month in Versailles vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Versailles $3,938
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,390 per month in Versailles vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Versailles $5,390
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Versailles is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Versailles and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Versailles by 83%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.80 €21.33
$20.71 $20.71
14.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 €70.7
$89.2 $89.2
-11.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.38 €10.19
$13.19 $13.19
-13.72%
Cappuccino
$4.25 €3.81
$5.66 $5.66
-24.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 €3.18
$2.64 $2.64
34.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.87
$2.28 $2.28
-8.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.69 €7.79
$6.87 $6.87
26.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.29 €6.53
$8.84 $8.84
-17.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.29
$1.25 $1.25
15.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 €2.04
$3.72 $3.72
-38.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.81 €3.42
$5.39 $5.39
-29.31%
Eggs
$4.26 €3.82
$4.74 $4.74
-10.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.20 €10.04
$13.84 $13.84
-19.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.71 €14.97
$14.40 $14.40
16.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.17 €36.89
$18.38 $18.38
123.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.90 €3.49
$5.22 $5.22
-25.29%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$1.98 $1.98
9.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.43 €2.18
$4.06 $4.06
-40.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.31 €2.96
$4.97 $4.97
-33.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 €2.35
$2.67 $2.67
-1.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.92
$2.66 $2.66
-19.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 €1.86
$2.24 $2.24
-7.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.50
$3.13 $3.13
-82.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.36 €11.97
$13.82 $13.82
-3.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.25 €7.40
$14.88 $14.88
-44.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.27 €2.93
$2.54 $2.54
28.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.51 $3.51
-
🚌 Getting Around
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.43 $2.43
-5.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.2 €86.2
$73.5 $73.5
30.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.68 €5.09
$3.18 $3.18
78.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.39 $1.39
2.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.77 €37.43
$25.03 $25.03
66.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 €1.78
$1.20 $1.20
65.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K €30.6K
$35.0K $35.0K
-2.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K €32.7K
$26.7K $26.7K
36.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$315 €282
$194 $194
61.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.98 €26.87
$69.5 $69.5
-56.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.39 €34.40
$61.6 $61.6
-37.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.2 €47.65
$47.90 $47.90
11.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.86 €24.96
$27.34 $27.34
1.90%
Cinema Ticket
$14.77 €13.24
$17.81 $17.81
-17.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$996 €893
$1,794 $1,794
-44.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K €9,073
$31.9K $31.9K
-68.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$122 €110
$67.0 $67.0
82.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$71.5 €64.0
$52.1 $52.1
37.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.9 €79.7
$102 $102
-12.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 €137
$144 $144
6.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,064 €953
$2,526 $2,526
-57.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$920 €824
$1,578 $1,578
-41.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,201 €1,972
$4,738 $4,738
-53.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 €1,763
$2,693 $2,693
-26.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.1K €9,011
$4,190 $4,190
140.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,063 €8,122
$2,768 $2,768
227.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Versailles
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,424 €3,068
$4,931 $4,931
-30.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
6.81
-44.05%

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

Last update for Versailles: 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
Versailles
$920
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 71.5% $658
Groceries & Markets
Versailles
$429 *
Chicago, IL
$447 4.3% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Versailles
$383
Chicago, IL
$326 15.1% $58
Eating Out
Versailles
$356
Chicago, IL
$345 3.1% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Versailles
$196
Chicago, IL
$164 16.3% $32
Getting Around
Versailles
$118
Chicago, IL
$93 21% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Versailles
$83
Chicago, IL
$84 1% $0.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,064 in Versailles 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 44% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Versailles versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $447 – making Versailles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Versailles
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
09:48 9:48 AM
02:48 2:48 AM
7 h behind Versailles
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
83,587
2,746,388
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Versailles Chicago, IL 6,640 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Versailles
  • 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
Versailles vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Versailles and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,485 in Versailles, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Versailles comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Versailles compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,728 per month in Versailles and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Versailles and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Versailles, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,064 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Versailles and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Versailles, where all-in costs run around $2,485, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Versailles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Versailles or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Versailles – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Versailles and Chicago, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Versailles. 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.

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