Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wilmington, DE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilmington, DE: $2,849 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

138

Cost of Living Index in Wilmington, DE
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Wilmington, DE Living Index
152

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

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Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,849

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,849 per month in Wilmington, DE vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wilmington, DE $2,849
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,941 per month in Wilmington, DE vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wilmington, DE $3,941
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,033 per month in Wilmington, DE vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wilmington, DE $5,033
Chicago, IL $6,115

Wilmington, DE is about 9% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wilmington, DE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Wilmington, DE by 110%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$20.65 $20.65

-4.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$90.2 $90.2

-17.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$12.94 $12.94

-22.10%

Cappuccino

$4.68 $4.68

$5.60 $5.60

-16.43%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$2.64 $2.64

-14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.27 $2.27

-40.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$6.98 $6.98

-43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$8.83 $8.83

-33.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.27 $1.27

-8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.80 $3.80

-22.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.30 $5.30

-49.81%

Eggs

$2.98 $2.98

$4.76 $4.76

-37.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 $9.37

$13.96 $13.96

-32.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$14.61 $14.61

-42.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$18.77 $18.77

-20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$5.19 $5.19

-10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.98 $1.98

-35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.93 $3.93

12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.96 $4.96

-19.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.76 $2.76

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.76 $2.76

-7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.22 $2.22

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.98 $2.98

-65.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$14.02 $14.02

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 $12.75

$15.28 $15.28

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.58 $2.58

-5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.50 $3.50

6.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.47 $2.47

-34.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 $58.8

$74.8 $74.8

-21.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.34 $3.34

47.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.43 $1.43

-21.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.11 $23.11

$24.32 $24.32

-4.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.43%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.39%

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

$270 $270

$193 $193

40.03%

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

$49.59 $49.59

$68.3 $68.3

-27.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$61.3 $61.3

-1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 $33.09

$54.1 $54.1

-38.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.26 $15.26

$27.92 $27.92

-45.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 $12.07

$17.74 $17.74

-31.96%

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

$1,595 $1,595

$1,652 $1,652

-3.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.3K $27.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-12.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.36 $37.36

$66.1 $66.1

-43.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.68 $46.68

$51.2 $51.2

-8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 $82.5

$100 $100

-17.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 $91.8

$141 $141

-34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 $1,875

$2,446 $2,446

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$1,678 $1,678

-4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,940 $2,940

$4,717 $4,717

-37.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 $2,344

$2,795 $2,795

-16.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,592 $2,592

$4,105 $4,105

-36.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,329 $2,329

$2,650 $2,650

-12.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 $3,947

$4,866 $4,866

-18.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.81

-7.49%

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

Last update for Wilmington, DE: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wilmington, DE

$1.6K 56.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 4.7% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wilmington, DE

$380 13.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 15.2% $58

Groceries & Markets

Wilmington, DE

$326 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 38% $124

Eating Out

Wilmington, DE

$291 10.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 18.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Wilmington, DE

$116 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 38.7% $45

Getting Around

Wilmington, DE

$76 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 25.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Wilmington, DE

$57 2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 56.6% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,875 in Wilmington, DE 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 23% 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 Wilmington, DE versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $449 – making Wilmington, DE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wilmington, DE

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:14 10:14 PM

21:14 9:14 PM

1 h behind Wilmington, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,826

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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Highest

Between locations

Wilmington, DE Chicago, IL 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Wilmington, DE
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,849 in Wilmington, DE, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,273 per month in Wilmington, DE 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 Wilmington, DE, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $75.0 in Wilmington, DE and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,849 in Wilmington, DE 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 $2,849 in Wilmington, DE to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Wilmington, DE. 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.