Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo, IA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Waterloo, IA: $1,807 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Waterloo, IA
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Waterloo, IA Living Index
147

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

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Waterloo, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,807

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,807 per month in Waterloo, IA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waterloo, IA $1,807
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,550 per month in Waterloo, IA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waterloo, IA $2,550
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,294 per month in Waterloo, IA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waterloo, IA $3,294
Chicago, IL $5,999

Waterloo, IA is about 40% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Waterloo, IA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waterloo, IA by 33%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 $16.11

$20.71 $20.71

-22.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 $56.4

$89.2 $89.2

-36.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 $8.91

$13.19 $13.19

-32.45%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.66 $5.66

2.65%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.28 $2.28

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$6.87 $6.87

-42.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$8.84 $8.84

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.25 $1.25

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.72 $3.72

-35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$5.39 $5.39

-67.72%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$4.74 $4.74

-23.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 $13.41

$13.84 $13.84

-3.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.36 $13.36

$14.40 $14.40

-7.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$18.38 $18.38

-5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.22 $5.22

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.06 $4.06

-4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.97 $4.97

-10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.67 $2.67

-57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.66 $2.66

-16.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.24 $2.24

-12.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$3.13 $3.13

-49.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.25 $8.25

$13.82 $13.82

-40.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 $13.98

$14.88 $14.88

-6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.54 $2.54

6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.51 $3.51

-49.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.18 $3.18

27.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.39 $1.39

46.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.55 $44.55

$25.03 $25.03

77.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-11.56%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.46%

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

$152 $152

$194 $194

-21.91%

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

$52.8 $52.8

$69.5 $69.5

-24.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$61.6 $61.6

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.92 $26.92

$47.90 $47.90

-43.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$17.81 $17.81

-14.71%

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

$1,662 $1,662

$1,794 $1,794

-7.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-25.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.83 $19.83

$67.0 $67.0

-70.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.15 $15.15

$52.1 $52.1

-70.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 $58.9

$102 $102

-41.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 $79.2

$144 $144

-44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 $850

$2,526 $2,526

-66.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$749 $749

$1,578 $1,578

-52.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$4,738 $4,738

-71.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 $973

$2,693 $2,693

-63.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 $1,582

$4,190 $4,190

-62.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,530 $1,530

$2,768 $2,768

-44.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,801 $3,801

$4,931 $4,931

-22.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.81

-1.76%

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

Last update for Waterloo, IA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waterloo, IA

$749 41.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 111% $829

Groceries & Markets

Waterloo, IA

$364 20.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 22.8% $83

Eating Out

Waterloo, IA

$279 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 23.6% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waterloo, IA

$265 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 22.6% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Waterloo, IA

$78 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 111% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Waterloo, IA

$57 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 45.8% $26

Getting Around

Waterloo, IA

$14 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 558% $79

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $850 in Waterloo, 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 30% 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 $56 in Waterloo, IA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $447 – making Waterloo, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waterloo, IA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:55 10:55 PM

Same time as Waterloo, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,314

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Waterloo, IA Chicago, IL 390 km

From you

Waterloo, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,807 in Waterloo, IA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Waterloo, IA comes out roughly 40% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,711 per month in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo, IA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $850 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Waterloo, IA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Waterloo, IA, where all-in costs run around $1,807, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Waterloo, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Waterloo, 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 Waterloo, 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.