How much is rent in Chicago, IL?

The median 2-bedroom in Chicago rents for $1,648 a month with utilities, $85 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,438 and a 3-bedroom $1,875.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,6482-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,4381-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$65,920Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
21%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Chicago by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,365/mo
Chicago
$1,365
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $54,600²
1 bedroom$1,438/mo
Chicago
$1,438
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $57,520²
2 bedrooms$1,648/mo
Chicago
$1,648
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $65,920²
3 bedrooms$1,875/mo
Chicago
$1,875
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $75,000²
4 bedrooms$2,093/mo
Chicago
$2,093
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $83,720²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Chicago

Where rent costs less than Chicago

37 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Chicago
Paducah, KY	$886	$762/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$747/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$729/mo
Durham, NC	$1,630	$18/mo
Daytona Beach, FL	$1,638	$10/mo
Jacksonville, FL	$1,642	$6/mo

Rent in Chicago: questions people ask

How much is rent in Chicago?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,620 a month. By size: studio $1,365, 1 bedroom $1,438, 2 bedrooms $1,648, 3 bedrooms $1,875, 4 bedrooms $2,093 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Chicago?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $65,920 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $57,520.

What share of income goes to rent in Chicago?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 21% of the median household income of $93,989 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Chicago?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in Illinois

Cost of living in Illinois

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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