Cost of Living in Chicago, IL

Population 2,696,555 · Illinois

Compare with:

Median Rent

Studio

$1,186

1 Bedroom

$1,258

2 Bedroom

$1,406

3 Bedroom

$1,554

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$315,200

Income

Median Household Income

$75,134

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$54,720

Household income: Census ACS, city. Metro median wage: BLS OEWS, all occupations, 2025 (metro area).

The People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.7 yrs

Homeownership

45.5%

Bachelor's+ (25+)

43.3%

Avg Commute

33.5 min

Crime

Violent Crime (per 100k/yr)

539.8

Property Crime (per 100k/yr)

3,489.9

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Chicago Police Department (2024). Offenses per 100,000 residents per year. Agency reporting practices vary, so cross-city comparisons are approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.7°F

Annual Precipitation

38.0 in

Gas

Regular Gasoline (Chicago)

$4.82/gal

EIA weekly retail average, week of 2026-05-25.

Public Transit

Base Fare (CTA)

$2.50

Adult base one-way fare on the primary agency (2026).

Utilities

Electricity

18.9¢/kWh

Natural Gas

$12.10/MCF

Residential, state-level averages (EIA, 2026-03-01). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

Bread (lb)

$1.79

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

Average prices, Midwest (BLS, 2026-04-01). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes (IL)

State Sales Tax

6.25%

State Income Tax (top rate)

Up to 4.95%

State-level rates. Local sales taxes may add more. Income tax shown is the top marginal rate; most filers pay less.

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981-2010 (climate); EIA (gas, utilities); BLS Average Price Data (groceries) & OEWS (metro wage); transit agencies (fares); FBI Crime Data Explorer (crime); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).