Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita, KS and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita, KS: $2,195 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Wichita, KS
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Wichita, KS Living Index
152

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

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Wichita, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,195

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,195 per month in Wichita, KS vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wichita, KS $2,195
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Wichita, KS vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wichita, KS $3,219
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,243 per month in Wichita, KS vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wichita, KS $4,243
Chicago, IL $6,115

Wichita, KS is about 30% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Wichita, KS and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Wichita, KS by 62%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.98 $17.98

$20.65 $20.65

-12.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$90.2 $90.2

-33.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$12.94 $12.94

-16.46%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.60 $5.60

-5.36%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.64 $2.64

-4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.27 $2.27

-19.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$6.98 $6.98

-27.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$8.83 $8.83

-30.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 $1.27

-32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.80 $3.80

0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$5.30 $5.30

-12.08%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$4.76 $4.76

-14.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$13.96 $13.96

-17.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$14.61 $14.61

-30.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.14 $18.14

$18.77 $18.77

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$5.19 $5.19

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.93 $3.93

28.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$4.96 $4.96

6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.76 $2.76

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.22 $2.22

3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.98 $2.98

-22.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.51 $9.51

$14.02 $14.02

-32.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$15.28 $15.28

-3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.50 $3.50

8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.47 $2.47

-31.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 $54.1

$74.8 $74.8

-27.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.34 $3.34

-24.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.43 $1.43

6.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.29 $40.29

$24.32 $24.32

65.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.26 $1.26

-22.22%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.43%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.71%

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

$277 $277

$193 $193

43.79%

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

$82.3 $82.3

$68.3 $68.3

20.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$61.3 $61.3

14.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.57 $30.57

$54.1 $54.1

-43.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.66 $19.66

$27.92 $27.92

-29.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 $15.26

$17.74 $17.74

-13.98%

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

$922 $922

$1,652 $1,652

-44.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-47.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.32 $47.32

$66.1 $66.1

-28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.83 $30.83

$51.2 $51.2

-39.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$100 $100

9.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 $994

$2,446 $2,446

-59.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 $784

$1,678 $1,678

-53.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$4,717 $4,717

-66.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$2,795 $2,795

-53.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,510 $1,510

$4,105 $4,105

-63.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,508 $1,508

$2,650 $2,650

-43.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,571 $3,571

$4,866 $4,866

-26.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.81

-2.35%

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

Last update for Wichita, KS: 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

Wichita, KS

$784 35.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 114% $893

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wichita, KS

$429 19.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 24.9% $107

Groceries & Markets

Wichita, KS

$407 18.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 10.4% $42

Eating Out

Wichita, KS

$295 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 16.6% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Wichita, KS

$148 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 9% $13

Getting Around

Wichita, KS

$71 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 34% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Wichita, KS

$61 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 46.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Wichita, KS 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 36% 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 $60.0 in Wichita, KS versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $449 – making Wichita, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wichita, KS

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:52 7:52 PM

Same time as Wichita, KS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

357,698

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Wichita, KS Chicago, IL 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Wichita, KS
Chicago, IL

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,195 in Wichita, KS, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 43% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,293 per month in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $60.0 in Wichita, KS and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wichita, KS, where all-in costs run around $2,195, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Wichita, KS 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 $2,195 in Wichita, KS to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Wichita, KS. 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.