Key takeaway: In fall 2026, a one-bedroom runs from about $1,010 a month in Chatham and $1,155 in Little Village to about $3,000 in River North and Streeterville, so the income you need for your own place ranges from about $40,000 to $117,000 across the 34 neighborhoods we track.
Chicago has a neighborhood for almost every budget, and nearly all of them have an L line or a Metra station nearby. This table puts our neighborhood profiles side by side, ordered by the income you need for your own one-bedroom. Click a name for the full breakdown: rent by size, transit, groceries, parking, property taxes and sample budgets.
Neighborhood costs side by side
| Neighborhood | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | Income for your own 1 bedroom | L lines | Metra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham | $1,010 to $1,410 | $1,300 to $1,560 | $40,400 | Red | Metra Electric |
| West Garfield Park | $1,050 to $1,550 | $1,397 to $1,500 | $42,000 | Green, Blue | Union Pacific West |
| Little Village | $1,155 to $1,350 | $1,400 to $1,600 | $46,200 | Pink | BNSF |
| Humboldt Park | $1,350 to $1,875 | $1,585 to $1,975 | $54,000 | Blue and Green nearby | Union Pacific West, Milwaukee District |
| East Garfield Park | About $1,350 | $1,686 to $1,750 | $54,000 | Green, Blue | Union Pacific West |
| McKinley Park | $1,395 to $1,600 | About $2,125 | $55,800 | Orange | None nearby |
| Bronzeville | $1,400 to $1,700 | $1,850 to $2,390 | $55,960 | Green, Red | Rock Island, Metra Electric |
| Bridgeport | $1,475 to $1,500 | $1,800 | $59,800 | Orange, Red | Rock Island |
| Portage Park | About $1,500 | $1,700 to $1,800 | $60,000 | Blue nearby | Milwaukee District North, Union Pacific Northwest |
| West Ridge | $1,450 to $1,550 | $1,800 to $1,950 | $60,000 | None (bus to Red Line) | Union Pacific North |
| Chinatown | $1,500 to $2,200 | $1,650 to $1,700 | $60,000 | Red, Green | Rock Island |
| Albany Park | $1,460 to $1,550 | $1,950 to $2,100 | $62,000 | Brown | Milwaukee District North |
| Hyde Park | $1,500 to $1,650 | $1,950 to $2,180 | $62,000 | Green (west edge) | Metra Electric |
| Rogers Park | $1,450 to $1,550 | $1,985 to $2,000 | $62,000 | Red, Purple, Yellow | Union Pacific North |
| Beverly | $1,295 to $1,700 | $1,525 to $1,750 | $63,000 | None | Rock Island (five stations) |
| Irving Park | $1,595 to $1,725 | $2,000 to $2,070 | $63,800 | Blue | Union Pacific Northwest, Milwaukee District North |
| Jefferson Park | $1,575 to $1,600 | $2,100 to $2,275 | $64,000 | Blue | Union Pacific Northwest |
| Pilsen | $1,500 to $1,625 | $1,950 to $2,025 | $65,000 | Pink | BNSF |
| Avondale | $1,795 to $1,850 | $2,095 to $2,190 | $71,800 | Blue | Milwaukee District North, Union Pacific Northwest nearby |
| Edgewater | $1,740 to $1,850 | $2,490 to $2,595 | $73,880 | Red | None (Ravenswood nearby) |
| Uptown | $1,895 to $2,005 | $2,610 to $2,895 | $75,800 | Red, Purple | Union Pacific North |
| Lincoln Square | $1,700 to $1,900 | $2,170 to $2,500 | $75,880 | Brown | Union Pacific North |
| North Center | About $1,995 | $2,200 to $2,550 | $79,800 | Brown | None (Ravenswood nearby) |
| Andersonville | $2,050 to $2,150 | $2,400 | $82,040 | Red | None (Ravenswood nearby) |
| Lakeview | $2,195 to $2,350 | $3,000 to $3,425 | $87,800 | Red, Brown, Purple | None (Ravenswood nearby) |
| Logan Square | $2,100 to $2,250 | $2,560 to $2,970 | $88,000 | Blue | Milwaukee District North |
| South Loop | $2,490 to $2,680 | $3,300 to $3,540 | $99,760 | Red, Green, Orange, Blue, Brown, Pink, Purple | Metra Electric, Rock Island |
| Old Town | $2,500 to $2,870 | $3,800 to $4,020 | $100,000 | Brown, Purple, Red | None (Ogilvie nearby) |
| Lincoln Park | $2,560 to $2,750 | $3,900 to $4,350 | $102,440 | Red, Brown, Purple | Union Pacific North and Northwest |
| Gold Coast | $2,690 to $2,700 | $4,020 to $4,310 | $107,560 | Red, Brown, Purple | None (Ogilvie nearby) |
| River North | $2,800 to $3,130 | $4,200 to $4,650 | $112,000 | Red, Brown, Purple, Blue | Ogilvie and Union Station nearby |
| West Loop | $2,400 to $2,840 | About $3,800 | $112,160 | Blue, Green, Pink | Ogilvie and Union Station |
| Wicker Park | $2,740 to $2,880 | $3,200 | $115,200 | Blue | Western Avenue (three lines) |
| Streeterville | $2,920 to $3,510 | $4,640 to $5,575 | $116,680 | Red | Ogilvie and Union Station nearby |
Source: rent ranges are the 2026 figures from Zumper, RentHop and RentCafe cited on each neighborhood profile, mostly from September and October. Income is our calculation: one-bedroom rent times 12, divided by 0.30, using the figure in each profile’s sample budget. L lines are from the City of Chicago’s list of L stops for each neighborhood’s ZIP codes; Metra lines are the stations named on each profile.
How to use this table
Rent is the biggest cost in a Chicago budget, so start with the neighborhoods whose one-bedroom range fits. Sharing a two-bedroom cuts the income you need by a third to a half almost everywhere. Then check transit: a $75 monthly CTA pass works across the whole city, and Metra trains within the city are $3.75 one way. To work out the salary you need in any of these neighborhoods after taxes, use our Chicago salary calculator. For the rest of the budget, see how much you need to make to live in Chicago, Chicago move-in costs and rent by ZIP code.
We add neighborhoods and update these numbers regularly. Each profile shows the date of every figure.