Key takeaway: Home internet in Chicago starts at about $35 to $50 a month in October 2026, and the city adds a 7% telecommunications tax, a $5 monthly 911 charge on each phone line and a 10.25% tax on streaming and cable.
Chicago has several internet options at most addresses, from cable to fiber to 5G home internet. Here’s what they cost and which city taxes show up on the bill.
Home internet prices
| Provider | Plan | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile 5G Home | Rely / Amplified / All-In | $35 / $45 / $55 |
| Xfinity | 300 Mbps / 500 Mbps | $45 / $60 |
| AT&T Fiber | 300 Mbps / 500 Mbps / 1 Gig / 5 Gig | $50 / $60 / $70 / $110 |
| Astound (formerly RCN) | Gig offers | $45 to $50 for 12 months |
| Verizon 5G Home | 5G Home / Plus / Ultimate | From $60 / $70 / $85 |
Source: each company’s own plans page, checked October 25, 2026. Prices are before taxes and fees and usually need autopay; T-Mobile and Verizon prices are lowest with one of their phone plans, and availability depends on your address. Xfinity and T-Mobile advertise five-year price guarantees, and Astound’s price runs for 12 months.
Low-cost and free options
- Xfinity Internet Essentials: $14.95 a month for up to 75 Mbps, or $29.95 for 100 Mbps, for households at or below 200% of the poverty line or in programs like SNAP or Medicaid (Xfinity).
- Astound Internet First: from $9.95 a month for eligible households (Astound).
- Chicago Connected: free home internet for more than 28,000 Chicago Public Schools students, extended for the 2026-27 school year (WBEZ).
City taxes on phone, internet and TV
| Tax | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Telecommunications tax | 7% of gross charges | Phone service (landline and wireless) |
| 911 surcharge | $5.00 per line per month | Each landline and wireless line |
| Amusement tax on paid TV | 10.25% | Cable, satellite and streaming subscriptions |
Source: City of Chicago Department of Finance pages for the telecommunications tax, the 911 surcharge (in effect since January 1, 2018) and the amusement tax on paid television (10.25% since January 1, 2025). Home internet access itself is exempt from state and local taxes under the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, so these mostly show up on phone and TV bills.
What the taxes add
| Bill | Before tax | City tax and fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| One phone line at $50 | $50.00 | $3.50 tax + $5.00 911 = $8.50 | $58.50 |
| A $20 streaming plan | $20.00 | $2.05 | $22.05 |
Source: our calculation using the city rates above; state taxes and carrier fees are not included. For the full list of city taxes, see Chicago consumer taxes in 2026, and for power and gas, see ComEd and Peoples Gas bills.