Cost of Living Comparison Between Wausau, WI and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Wausau, WI and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Wausau, WI is 41.5% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 43.6% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Wausau, WI is 40.4% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 42% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 $18.72

$20.82 $20.82

-10.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 $66.1

$100 $100

-34.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 $8.45

$11.97 $11.97

-29.41%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$5.56 $5.56

-12.05%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$3.11 $3.11

-2.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.42 $2.42

-14.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.86 $6.86

-25.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 $5.35

$8.45 $8.45

-36.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.04 $1.04

-17.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$4.15 $4.15

-31.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.6 $4.6

$5.52 $5.52

-16.67%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$4.65 $4.65

-6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$14.33 $14.33

-36.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$14.88 $14.88

-54.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 $14.04

$19.34 $19.34

-27.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.17 $5.17

-16.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.71 $1.71

-35.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.41 $4.41

-8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$4.51 $4.51

-8.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.53 $2.53

-29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.1 $2.1

$2.74 $2.74

-23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.43 $2.43

-20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.7 $2.7

-62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.22 $8.22

$15.19 $15.19

-45.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.1 $9.1

$16.42 $16.42

-44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.9 $1.9

$2.35 $2.35

-19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.7 $3.7

-37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.53 $2.53

-23.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.34 $3.34

-15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.42 $1.42

9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.59 $20.59

$25.42 $25.42

-19.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.08 $1.08

-23.15%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$32.4K $32.4K

-8.09%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.31%

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

$167 $167

$188 $188

-11.33%

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

$48.03 $48.03

$63.7 $63.7

-24.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 $64.3

$65.2 $65.2

-1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.56 $30.56

$76.7 $76.7

-60.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 $5.98

$14.93 $14.93

-59.95%

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

$1,829 $1,829

$2,063 $2,063

-11.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$39.2K $39.2K

-37.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.65 $24.65

$64.3 $64.3

-61.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 $44.98

$52.4 $52.4

-14.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 $64.1

$95.2 $95.2

-32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 $83.4

$145 $145

-42.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 $909

$2,378 $2,378

-61.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 $691

$1,584 $1,584

-56.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 $1,548

$4,763 $4,763

-67.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$2,815 $2,815

-51.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,642 $1,642

$3,588 $3,588

-54.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 $1,659

$2,490 $2,490

-33.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,403 $3,403

$5,275 $5,275

-35.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.6

-0.76%

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

Last update for Wausau, WI: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

Similar cities

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

Zagreb

🇭🇷 Croatia

Taipei

🇹🇼 Taiwan

Riga

🇱🇻 Latvia

Thessaloniki

🇬🇷 Greece

Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia