USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Chicago, IL vs Kenosha, WI: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

  • Overall, Kenosha, WI is 2.4% less expensive than Chicago, IL (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Chicago works out to about $73,200 in Kenosha, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 14.5% less in Kenosha. Goods are 1.0% lower and other services 0.2% lower.
  • Zillow does not publish typical rent for Kenosha, so rents are not compared here.
  • The gap has widened since 2019, when Kenosha was 0.7% less expensive than Chicago.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Housing drives the gap: 14.5% lower in Kenosha than in Chicago

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Chicago, IL
  • Kenosha, WI
All items
103.6 101.1
Goods
107.3 106.2
Housing (rents)
112.0 95.8
Utilities
83.6 85.9
Other services
100.5 100.3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Chicago, ILKenosha, WI
All items103.6101.1
Goods107.3106.2
Housing (rents)112.095.8
Utilities83.685.9
Other services100.5100.3
CategoryChicagoKenoshaKenosha vs Chicago
All items 103.6 101.1 −2.4%
Goods 107.3 106.2 −1.0%
Housing (rents) 112.0 95.8 −14.5%
Utilities 83.6 85.9 +2.7%
Other services 100.5 100.3 −0.2%
Salary to match $75,000 in Chicago $75,000 $73,200 −2.4%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Chicago and Kenosha has been fairly stable since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Chicago, IL
  • Kenosha, WI
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Chicago, ILKenosha, WI
2008105.4103.7
2009106.5102.9
2010106.1100.1
2011106.9103.1
2012105.199.3
2013104.2100.1
2014103.2101.3
2015102.6101.0
2016103.8100.2
2017105.2102.5
2018104.2100.9
2019102.6101.9
2020104.599.4
2021105.5101.5
2022105.7102.5
2023102.5100.5
2024103.6101.1

Goods

  • Chicago, IL
  • Kenosha, WI
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Chicago, ILKenosha, WI
2008104.5103.6
2009106.2105.1
2010104.8104.4
2011105.8104.9
2012103.2102.7
2013101.6101.6
2014101.7101.5
201599.299.4
201699.199.6
2017102.2102.6
2018103.4103.8
2019105.2104.7
2020103.4103.3
2021106.3105.6
2022106.6106.1
2023104.3103.7
2024107.3106.2

Housing (rents)

  • Chicago, IL
  • Kenosha, WI
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Chicago, ILKenosha, WI
2008124.0109.1
2009122.998.2
2010124.584.2
2011122.696.0
2012119.880.6
2013122.790.3
2014122.6101.0
2015122.4101.5
2016121.487.9
2017119.794.3
2018117.888.0
2019116.3103.5
2020117.383.1
2021114.086.8
2022111.292.3
2023111.091.7
2024112.095.8

Utilities

  • Chicago, IL
  • Kenosha, WI
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Chicago, ILKenosha, WI
200895.5102.6
200990.8102.6
201088.697.5
201189.8100.2
201286.697.0
201380.393.6
201489.7100.8
201591.9103.3
201692.5102.1
201792.7101.0
201891.198.8
201980.588.1
202081.690.7
202182.788.1
202285.585.4
202377.083.1
202483.685.9

Other services

  • Chicago, IL
  • Kenosha, WI
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Chicago, ILKenosha, WI
2008102.0102.2
2009103.3103.2
2010103.0102.8
2011104.3104.5
2012103.4104.4
2013102.6103.4
2014100.1101.3
2015100.3101.8
2016102.8104.4
2017103.9105.2
2018102.1103.6
201999.2100.4
2020103.0103.7
2021103.9104.5
2022104.8104.3
2023100.6102.2
2024100.5100.3

More about each city

Related comparisons

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
  • Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.