Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wheaton, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Wheaton, IL: $2,571 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
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Wheaton, IL Living Index
152

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

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Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,571

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,571 per month in Wheaton, IL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wheaton, IL $2,571
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,945 per month in Wheaton, IL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wheaton, IL $3,945
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,320 per month in Wheaton, IL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wheaton, IL $5,320
Chicago, IL $6,115

Wheaton, IL is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wheaton, IL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Wheaton, IL by 90%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 $16.13

$20.65 $20.65

-21.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$90.2 $90.2

-23.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.99 $11.99

$12.94 $12.94

-7.34%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.60 $5.60

-0.71%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.64 $2.64

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.27 $2.27

2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.98 $6.98

1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$8.83 $8.83

-7.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.27 $1.27

-31.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.80 $3.80

-25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$5.30 $5.30

-45.66%

Eggs

$3.67 $3.67

$4.76 $4.76

-22.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$13.96 $13.96

-28.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$14.61 $14.61

-24.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$18.77 $18.77

-20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.19 $5.19

-10.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.98 $1.98

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.93 $3.93

-25.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$4.96 $4.96

-56.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.76 $2.76

-38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.76 $2.76

13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.22 $2.22

-14.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.98 $2.98

-19.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 $8.98

$14.02 $14.02

-35.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$15.28 $15.28

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.58 $2.58

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.50 $3.50

-22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.47 $2.47

103.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$74.8 $74.8

34.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.34 $3.34

22.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.43 $1.43

-44.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.88 $43.88

$24.32 $24.32

80.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-34.08%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

-3.18%

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

$174 $174

$193 $193

-9.96%

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

$51.7 $51.7

$68.3 $68.3

-24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$61.3 $61.3

12.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.62 $34.62

$54.1 $54.1

-36.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$17.74 $17.74

-31.91%

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

$1,698 $1,698

$1,652 $1,652

2.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-24.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 $57.7

$66.1 $66.1

-12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 $34.98

$51.2 $51.2

-31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$100 $100

-12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$141 $141

-27.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 $2,011

$2,446 $2,446

-17.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$1,678 $1,678

-21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,753 $2,753

$4,717 $4,717

-41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$2,795 $2,795

-7.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,537 $5,537

$4,866 $4,866

13.79%

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 Wheaton, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wheaton, IL

$1.3K 51.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27% $357

Groceries & Markets

Wheaton, IL

$337 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 33.4% $113

Eating Out

Wheaton, IL

$305 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 12.5% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wheaton, IL

$294 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.6% $28

Getting Around

Wheaton, IL

$129 5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 26.1% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Wheaton, IL

$127 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 27.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Wheaton, IL

$59 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 52.4% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,011 in Wheaton, IL versus $2,446 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 14% higher in Wheaton, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Wheaton, IL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $449 – making Wheaton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:15 10:15 PM

Same time as Wheaton, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,611

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,571 in Wheaton, IL, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,857 per month in Wheaton, IL and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 33% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Wheaton, IL and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,571 in Wheaton, IL and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,571 in Wheaton, IL to $3,139 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 Wheaton, IL. 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.