Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waukegan, IL and Bogota

For one person, living is cheaper in Bogota: $1,387 a month against $2,665 in Waukegan, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Waukegan, IL, United States
Bogota, Colombia
Waukegan, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,665
/mo nomad
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,387
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Waukegan, IL and in Bogota

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Waukegan, IL and in Bogota actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,665 per month in Waukegan, IL vs $1,387 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Waukegan, IL $2,665
  • Bogota $1,387

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Waukegan, IL vs $2,151 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Waukegan, IL $3,853
  • Bogota $2,151

A family of three spends $5,041 per month in Waukegan, IL vs $2,915 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Waukegan, IL $5,041
  • Bogota $2,915

Waukegan, IL costs about 92% more than Bogota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Waukegan, IL and Bogota sit above the global median – Waukegan, IL by 97%, Bogota by 3%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.29 $19.29
$7.94 COP 25.6K
142.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.4 $74.4
$42.83 COP 138.3K
73.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.17 $11.17
$10.81 COP 34.9K
3.33%
Cappuccino
$5.20 $5.20
$2.47 COP 7,986
110.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 $2.48
$1.34 COP 4,342
85.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$0.85 COP 2,734
131.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.86 $5.86
$2.39 COP 7,725
145.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 $7.12
$4.83 COP 15.6K
47.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.63 COP 5,265
-38.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.57 $3.57
$2.33 COP 7,508
53.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.36 $4.36
$1.81 COP 5,836
140.88%
Eggs
$4.12 $4.12
$3.52 COP 11.4K
17.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.49 $12.49
$7.84 COP 25.3K
59.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.53 $11.53
$7.62 COP 24.6K
51.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.68 $15.68
$10.66 COP 34.4K
47.09%
Apples (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$3.49 COP 11.3K
42.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.76 COP 5,689
-7.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$1.92 COP 6,184
119.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.57 $4.57
$1.89 COP 6,115
141.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$1.41 COP 4,553
95.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.43 COP 4,616
99.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.26 COP 4,074
65.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.15 COP 3,729
87.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.76 $9.76
$4.43 COP 14.3K
120.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.76 $13.76
$12.31 COP 39.8K
11.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.48 COP 4,782
25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 $3.42
$3.22 COP 10.4K
6.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.08 COP 3,483
89.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.6 $59.6
$50.2 COP 162.1K
18.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 $3.52
$2.02 COP 6,538
74.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.54 COP 8,213
-37.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.86 $28.86
$7.49 COP 24.2K
285.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 $0.83
$1.28 COP 4,135
-35.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K $30.0K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-12.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K $25.2K
$34.9K COP 112.5M
-27.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$127 COP 411.0K
48.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.6 $52.6
$16.31 COP 52.7K
222.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.5 $68.5
$30.21 COP 97.5K
126.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.74 $43.74
$33.56 COP 108.4K
30.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.03 COP 48.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.32 $13.32
$7.62 COP 24.6K
74.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,298 $1,298
$557 COP 1.8M
133.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$13.1K COP 42.2M
76.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9 $50.9
$85.1 COP 274.7K
-40.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.45 $40.45
$48.17 COP 155.5K
-16.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.0 $85.0
$139 COP 448.6K
-38.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$108 COP 347.1K
2.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,602 $1,602
$730 COP 2.4M
119.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,376 $1,376
$504 COP 1.6M
173.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,633 $2,633
$1,438 COP 4.6M
83.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,197 $2,197
$963 COP 3.1M
128.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,820 $2,820
$2,946 COP 9.5M
-4.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,459 $2,459
$2,250 COP 7.3M
9.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Waukegan, IL
Bogota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$811 COP 2.6M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
12.81
-49.18%

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

Last update for Waukegan, IL: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bogota: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Waukegan, IL
$1.4K
Bogota
$504 63.4% $872
Groceries & Markets
Waukegan, IL
$388
Bogota
$264 31.9% $124
Eating Out
Waukegan, IL
$311
Bogota
$156 49.9% $155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Waukegan, IL
$310
Bogota
$174 44% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Waukegan, IL
$129
Bogota
$171 32.7% $42
Getting Around
Waukegan, IL
$79
Bogota
$69 12.7% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Waukegan, IL
$70
Bogota
$49 30.7% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,602 in Waukegan, IL versus $730 in Bogota. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Waukegan, IL versus $43 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $264 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Waukegan, IL
🇨🇴 Bogota
🕒 Local time
16:28 4:28 PM
17:28 5:28 PM
1 h ahead of Waukegan, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
89,321
8,181,047 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,609 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Waukegan, IL Bogota 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Waukegan, IL
  • Bogota

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
Waukegan, IL vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bogota cheaper than Waukegan, IL?
Yes – Waukegan, IL is pricier by about 92%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,997 per month in Waukegan, IL and $2,080 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bogota, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $730 there versus $1,602 in Waukegan, IL.
What are total monthly expenses in Waukegan, IL and in Bogota?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,665 in Waukegan, IL and $1,387 in Bogota. That makes Bogota about 48% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 16% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is Waukegan, IL or Bogota more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bogota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Bogota is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 48% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Waukegan, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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