I’m Amy Pearson with @properties. I am a realtor on the team Lux Home Chicago Chicago. And today I’m going to talk to you about the cost of living: Chicago versus Naperville, Illinois. If you’re thinking about making the move, I’ve done the research for you. So, you don’t have to do the research what the cost of living is. All right. So, I am Amy, realtor here, with @properties. I work with buyers, sellers, renters, as well as investors. I’d love to help you out. If you’re thinking about making a move to the Western suburbs or in the Chicago area, I work the downtown market as well. 

Here’s my research. This is 2021 numbers. It’s actually from June, 2021, according to numbeo.com. I did do the research. I didn’t just make these numbers up. All right. So, grocery prices in Naperville, Illinois are 19.4% lower than in Chicago, Illinois. So, your grocery bills would be a bit cheaper shopping in the burbs. All right. Restaurant prices in Naperville compared to Chicago are 5.48% lower than Chicago. 

A meal, if you’re to get an inexpensive restaurant in Chicago, would be about $17. In Naperville, it would be $16. So, a little… A dollar difference. What about a gallon of milk? Okay. A gallon of milk… This is June, 2021 numbers again. A gallon milk in Chicago was $3.13, and in Naperville it was $2.77. So, 11% cheaper. All right. What about gas? My mom used to always, “Make sure you fill up your gas in the suburbs”. And there’s a reason why people always tell you to fill up in the suburbs, your gas in your car. Chicago, a gallon of gas is $3.03. This is June, 2021. And in April it was $2.63. 13% cheaper to fill up in Naperville than in the city.

Childcare costs. If you’re wondering, if you have a young child, what will your childcare cost be? For childcare for full-day preschool, this is preschool, monthly amount, if you were to live in Chicago would be $1,400ish. If you were to be in Naperville, childcare preschool full-day would be around $1,100. So, it’s about 22% less. All right. What about the cost of living difference for apartment living? We’ll just do some basics: one bedroom in the city center. In Chicago, a one bedroom average in the center of downtown Chicago would be about $1,800. And in Naperville a one bedroom in the city center would be $1,500. So, 18% cheaper to rent in Naperville versus Chicago. And then price per square foot. To buy an apartment in the city center of Chicago versus Naperville, per foot in Chicago, it is $443. And then in Naperville, price per square foot, it is $191. So, it’s 56% less to buy an apartment in the downtown area of Naperville versus Chicago.

Those are some stats I thought you might find interesting on the cost of living in Naperville versus Chicago. If you’re thinking about buying or selling or making that move out to the suburbs, I’d love to help you out. I’m Amy Pearson with @properties. Shoot me an email at Amy@atproperties.com if you have any questions. Take care.