Cost of Living Comparison Between Watertown, SD and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Watertown, SD and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Watertown, SD is 32.8% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 20.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Watertown, SD is 35.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 24.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 $15.14

$20.82 $20.82

-27.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.7 $56.7

$100 $100

-43.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$11.97 $11.97

-16.29%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$5.56 $5.56

-5.04%

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

$2.8 $2.8

$3.11 $3.11

-9.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.42 $2.42

-15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.86 $6.86

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$8.45 $8.45

-19.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.04 $1.04

-6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.21 $4.21

$4.15 $4.15

1.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$5.52 $5.52

-27.72%

Eggs

$3.3 $3.3

$4.65 $4.65

-29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 $9.16

$14.33 $14.33

-36.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$14.88 $14.88

-23.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 $9.35

$19.34 $19.34

-51.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.17 $5.17

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.71 $1.71

-30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$4.41 $4.41

29.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$4.51 $4.51

15.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.53 $2.53

48.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.74 $2.74

33.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.43 $2.43

-19.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.7 $2.7

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.49 $8.49

$15.19 $15.19

-44.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$16.42 $16.42

-27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.35 $2.35

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.7 $3.7

22.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.53 $2.53

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.34 $3.34

52.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 $29.06

$25.42 $25.42

14.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.08 $1.08

-24.07%

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

$35K $35K

$32.4K $32.4K

7.93%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.66%

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

$126 $126

$188 $188

-33.17%

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

$48.42 $48.42

$63.7 $63.7

-23.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 $55.1

$65.2 $65.2

-15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 $42.19

$76.7 $76.7

-45.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 $14.07

$14.93 $14.93

-5.76%

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

$1,454 $1,454

$2,063 $2,063

-29.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.7K $29.7K

$39.2K $39.2K

-24.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.46 $38.46

$64.3 $64.3

-40.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 $41.83

$52.4 $52.4

-20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 $74.5

$95.2 $95.2

-21.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$145 $145

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 $1,592

$2,378 $2,378

-33.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 $1,333

$1,584 $1,584

-15.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,662 $2,662

$4,763 $4,763

-44.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 $2,178

$2,815 $2,815

-22.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,780 $2,780

$3,588 $3,588

-22.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,464 $2,464

$2,490 $2,490

-1.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,265 $2,265

$5,275 $5,275

-57.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.6

-2.58%

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

Last update for Watertown, SD: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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