Cost of living in West Englewood, Chicago (2026)

Key takeaway: A one-bedroom in West Englewood rents for about $1,075 a month in 2026, single-family homes sold for a median $143,000 in 2024, and 60-acre Ogden Park has a pool, track and boxing gym.

West Englewood is on the South Side between Racine and the railroad near Western Avenue, around 55th to 75th Street, with bungalows, two-flats and the Ashland/63rd Green Line terminal. Its typical one-bedroom, about $1,075 a month, runs about $1,004 below the citywide typical of $2,079 (Zillow, September 2026), the 10th lowest of the 92 areas in our neighborhood comparison.

Typical one-bedroom$1,075 a month
Typical two-bedroom$1,375 a month
Income for your own one-bedroomAbout $43,000 a year
L linesGreen
MetraNone
Part of the citySouth Side
At a glance, October 2026. Rents are the figures used in the sample budget below; income is our calculation, rent times 40.
West Englewood cost of living: typical one-bedroom $1,075 and two-bedroom $1,375 a month, compared with $2,079 and $2,516 citywide
Typical rents in West Englewood compared with the citywide typical (Zillow, September 2026). Neighborhood figures are the ones in the table above; income is our calculation, rent times 40.

On this page: Rent · Getting around · Groceries · Parks · What is changing · Parking · Taxes and home prices · Buyer help · Sample budget

Rent by apartment size

UnitZumper (avg., Oct 2026)
Studio$1,000
1 bedroom$1,075
2 bedrooms$1,375
3 bedrooms$1,725

Source: Zumper West Englewood rent research, updated October 25, 2026, from 23 rentals. RentHop’s West Englewood figures rested on one to five listings, so we left them out. Sources differ because they track different listings; see why rent reports disagree.

Getting around

  • Green Line: the Ashland/63rd terminal at the neighborhood’s east edge (City of Chicago L stop data). CTA fares are $2.25 a bus ride and $2.50 a train ride with Ventra, or $75 for a 30-day pass (CTA fares).
  • Buses: #63 63rd and #9 Ashland, both all night, plus routes on Western, Damen and 59th.

A 30-day CTA pass is $75 (CTA).

Groceries nearby

StoreAddress
Food 4 Less Englewood Plaza7030 S. Ashland Ave.
ALDI6025 S. Western Ave.
ALDI (Englewood)620 W. 63rd St.

Source: each store’s own location page or locator, checked October 25, 2026. See our Chicago grocery guide.

Parks

Ogden Park at 6500 S. Racine Ave. covers about 60 acres with a pool, fieldhouse, gym, fitness center, boxing gym, running track and turf field.

What is changing

A plan for 36 apartments and ground-floor retail on city lots at 1515 and 1607 W. 63rd St., next to the Ashland/63rd station, was awaiting City Council approval in July 2026 (Hoodline).

Parking

If you will have a car, check your block with the City Clerk’s zone lookup before you sign a lease. Adding a residential permit zone to your City Sticker costs $25 to $35 a year, on top of the $105.18 passenger-car sticker; our parking guide covers guest passes, meters and garages.

Property taxes and home prices

The Assessor’s 2024 report put West Englewood median sale prices at $143,000 for a single-family home, more than double the 2020 figure, and $195,000 for a two-to-six-unit building (Cook County Assessor, 2024 Chicago report). Citywide, the median Chicago homeowner bill for tax year 2025, mailed in August 2026, was $4,597, up 3.2% (Cook County Treasurer). For how bills are set and how to appeal, see our property tax guide, and to weigh owning against renting, our rent vs. buy calculator.

Help buying a home

  • HomeGrown (City of Chicago): purchase grants of $10,000 to $70,000 depending on income and which of two city zones the home is in, for buyers up to 150% of area median income, launched June 2026 with $21 million (Sun-Times).
  • IHDAccess Home (State of Illinois): up to $15,000 for first-time buyers as a 0% deferred second mortgage (Governor’s office).
  • Cook County Down Payment Assistance: 5% of the loan, up to $25,000, forgivable over five years (Cook County).

West Englewood cost of living: a sample monthly budget

SetupRentCTA passIncome needed at 30% rent
Your own one-bedroom$1,075$75$43,000
Half of a two-bedroom$688$75$27,520
Your own two-bedroom$1,375$75$55,000

Source: our calculation from the Zumper figures above (half of $1,375, rounded). Income needed is monthly rent times 12, divided by 0.30. For a fuller answer that includes taxes and the rest of your budget, try our Chicago salary calculator, and see Chicago move-in costs for what you’ll pay up front.

Compare every neighborhood side by side in our Chicago neighborhood cost comparison, or work out your own number with our salary calculator. More South Side neighborhood profiles: Archer Heights, Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park, Back of the Yards and Canaryville, Beverly, Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Bronzeville, Burnside, Calumet Heights, Chatham, Chicago Lawn, Chinatown, Clearing, East Side, Englewood, Fuller Park, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, Greater Grand Crossing, Hegewisch, Hyde Park, Kenwood, McKinley Park, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, Oakland, Pullman, Riverdale, Roseland, South Chicago, South Deering, South Shore, Washington Heights, Washington Park, West Elsdon, West Lawn, West Pullman and Woodlawn.

Costs that apply in every neighborhood: property tax bills, closing costs and condo fees, water, sewer and garbage fees, ComEd and Peoples Gas, CTA fares, parking, average salaries by job and our Chicago cost index.

Sources

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