Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wausau, WI: $1,726 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Wausau, WI
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Wausau, WI Living Index
153

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

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Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,726

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,726 per month in Wausau, WI vs $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wausau, WI $1,726
Chicago, IL $3,169

A couple spends around $2,735 per month in Wausau, WI vs $4,682 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wausau, WI $2,735
Chicago, IL $4,682

A family of three spends $3,743 per month in Wausau, WI vs $6,196 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wausau, WI $3,743
Chicago, IL $6,196

Wausau, WI is about 46% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wausau, WI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Wausau, WI by 29%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$21.62 $21.62

-8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$91.2 $91.2

-17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 $8.71

$13.09 $13.09

-33.46%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$5.78 $5.78

-16.09%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.28 $2.28

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$6.94 $6.94

-19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 $5.42

$8.93 $8.93

-39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.27 $1.27

-33.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.94 $3.94

-27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.96 $4.96

6.05%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$4.64 $4.64

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$13.97 $13.97

-38.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$14.37 $14.37

-52.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$18.59 $18.59

-27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$5.37 $5.37

-22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.93 $1.93

-20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.01 $4.01

0.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.94 $4.94

-17.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.80 $2.80

-33.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.76 $2.76

-11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.16 $2.16

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$3.12 $3.12

-68.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.60 $8.60

$15.71 $15.71

-45.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$15.23 $15.23

-41.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.57 $2.57

-24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.48 $3.48

-36.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 $74.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.23 $3.23

-14.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.43 $1.43

10.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.77 $20.77

$24.33 $24.33

-14.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.25 $1.25

-35.20%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

1.26%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

-3.95%

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

$157 $157

$195 $195

-19.14%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$69.0 $69.0

-1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$62.1 $62.1

15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.56 $30.56

$54.5 $54.5

-43.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 $5.93

$17.84 $17.84

-66.76%

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

$1,806 $1,806

$1,513 $1,513

19.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

-20.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.53 $24.53

$68.1 $68.1

-63.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.50 $40.50

$51.6 $51.6

-21.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 $65.8

$101 $101

-35.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 $83.5

$141 $141

-40.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 $928

$2,437 $2,437

-61.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 $698

$1,662 $1,662

-58.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$4,644 $4,644

-66.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 $1,398

$2,751 $2,751

-49.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 $1,662

$4,036 $4,036

-58.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 $1,714

$2,677 $2,677

-35.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 $3,486

$4,861 $4,861

-28.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.77

-1.77%

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

Last update for Wausau, WI: October 4, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wausau, WI

$698 39.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53% 138% $965

Groceries & Markets

Wausau, WI

$307 17.5%

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3% 46.4% $143

Eating Out

Wausau, WI

$301 17.2%

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3% 17.4% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wausau, WI

$297 17%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4% 9.6% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Wausau, WI

$96 5.5%

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2% 69.1% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Wausau, WI

$42 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 113% $48

Getting Around

Wausau, WI

$11 * 0.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 790% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Wausau, WI versus $2,437 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 39% 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 $75.0 in Wausau, WI versus $91.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $450 – making Wausau, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

Same time as Wausau, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,435

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Wausau, WI Chicago, IL 380 km

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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

Wausau, WI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,726 in Wausau, WI, $3,169 in Chicago, IL – roughly 84% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,589 per month in Wausau, WI and $4,753 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wausau, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Wausau, WI and $91.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wausau, WI, where all-in costs run around $1,726, than in Chicago, IL at $3,169. In Wausau, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,726 in Wausau, WI to $3,169 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wausau, WI. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.