Chicago vs Zurich - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Chicago Zurich
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2678
$3296
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$6655
$8076
🏠 One person rent
$1596
$1966
🏘️ Family rent
$2946
$3466
🍽️ Food expenses
$700
$863
🚐 Transport expenses
$200
$211
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$4876
$7242
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
8 km
🎓 Higher education
100
81
😀 Quality of life
95
98
🏙️ Population
2.75M
449K

The cost of living in Chicago is 19% less expensive than in Zurich. Cities ranked 529th and 59th ($2678 vs $3296) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 483rd and 2nd in the United States and Switzerland, respectively. Check the United States vs Switzerland comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.8 months in Chicago compared to 2.2 months in Zurich. Chicago ranked 3rd best city to live in the United States vs Zurich ranked 1st in Switzerland, while ranked 23rd and 5th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Chicago vs Zurich infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Zurich

Prices for goods and services in Chicago and Zurich are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chicago Zurich
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$21.9
$26
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$90.6
$111
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$12
$17.8
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$7
$8.89
☕ Cappuccino
$5.4
$6.48
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.95
$5.47
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1841
$2155
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1327
$1671
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3729
$4080
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$2474
$2967
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$104
$148
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$159
$226
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$62.1
$50.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.68%
2.17%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3391
$24070
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2689
$5867
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.48
$4.88
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$75.1
$94.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$16.1
$41.4
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.06
$2.08
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.94
$1.99
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.68
$2.98
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.61
$3.45
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.13
$7.49
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.5
$22
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.2
$22.1
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.3
$45.4
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.67
$3.52
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.84
$2.34
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.36
$2.81
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.43
$5.08
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.18
$2.6
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.71
$2.32
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.81
$0.79
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.85
$3.38
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$14.9
$14.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.04
$2.32
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15
$10
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$11.5
$21.1
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$6.02
$5.47
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.63
$3.9
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.76
$4.01
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63
$72.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.8
$21.8
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$127
$138
💇 Haircut, simple
$29.8
$54.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$59
$120
👟 Brand Sneakers
$94.4
$124
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2114
$2498
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$24502
$29610

Cost of living in other countries

ChicagoZurich

Cost of living

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2425
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2421
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2510
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2426
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2444
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2194
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2256
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2401
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2418
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2384
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2314
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2334
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2389
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2264
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2377
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2392
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2363
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2509
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2359
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2393
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2360
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1938
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2362
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2363
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2344
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2396
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$1948
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2350
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2378
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2446
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2369
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2506
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2342
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2367
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2342
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2227
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2345
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$1954
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2351
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2371

Cities near Zurich

Distance City Cost of living
4.2 km or 2.6 mi Altstetten
$3037
6.4 km or 4 mi Dubendorf
$2988
11 km or 6.6 mi Dietikon
$2934
14 km or 8.6 mi Horgen
$2976
14 km or 8.6 mi Uster
$2974
16 km or 9.7 mi Bulach
$2873
19 km or 12 mi Wettingen
$2970
19 km or 12 mi Wadenswil
$2960
19 km or 12 mi Winterthur
$3032
20 km or 13 mi Wetzikon
$2893
20 km or 13 mi Baden
$3059
20 km or 13 mi Baar
$3099
23 km or 15 mi Zug
$3426
28 km or 17 mi Rapperswil-Jona
$2861
33 km or 21 mi Frauenfeld
$2379
36 km or 22 mi Schaffhausen
$2419
37 km or 23 mi Waldshut-Tiengen
$1472
37 km or 23 mi Aarau
$2252
38 km or 24 mi Emmen
$2897
40 km or 25 mi Wil
$2262
40 km or 25 mi Lucerne
$2931
43 km or 27 mi Kriens
$2891
48 km or 30 mi Singen
$1555
51 km or 32 mi Radolfzell
$1609
56 km or 35 mi Kreuzlingen
$2614
57 km or 36 mi Konstanz
$1731
60 km or 37 mi Rheinfelden
$1447
63 km or 39 mi St. Gallen
$2464
63 km or 39 mi Uberlingen
$1641
64 km or 40 mi Donaueschingen
$1382
70 km or 44 mi Riehen
$3234
71 km or 44 mi Tuttlingen
$1453
71 km or 44 mi Lorrach
$1434
74 km or 46 mi Weil am Rhein
$1442
74 km or 46 mi Basel
$2643
76 km or 47 mi Villingen-Schwenningen
$1267
77 km or 48 mi Saint-Louis
$1286
77 km or 48 mi Friedrichshafen
$1656
77 km or 48 mi Schaan
$2352
78 km or 48 mi Allschwil
$2717