Cost per day · United States
Chicago on $70, $190 or $550 a day
How much does Chicago cost per day? Budget travellers get by on about $70 a day, mid-range trips run around $190, and luxury starts near $550 — accommodation, food, transport and activities included.
That makes Chicago the 9th most expensive of 100 cities for a mid-range trip — see all 100 ranked.
The city that invented the skyscraper still has the best skyline in America, best seen from a boat on the river. Lake Michigan gives it beaches, the Art Institute holds one of the world's great collections, and between deep-dish, Italian beef and the blues clubs it eats and plays better than almost anywhere.
Chicago is cheaper than New York for a big-city break. Millennium Park, the Lakefront and the Lincoln Park Zoo are free, a day pass covers the L, and a hot dog or Italian beef is lunch for under $12.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
A 200-foot wheel on the pier with the skyline across the water
Get tickets on Tiqets →The Hancock's 94th-floor observatory, tipping out over the Magnificent Mile
Get tickets on Tiqets →The Chicago Architecture Center's ninety-minute cruise, the city's essential tour
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Big Hostelling International house in the Loop, a block from Grant Park
Design hostel and hotel in River North with the Broken Shaker bar
Restored 1920s building on Michigan Avenue facing Millennium Park
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Downtown for free ~$50
Day 2: Lakefront by bike ~$55
Day 3: Neighbourhoods on the L ~$50
The Blue Line from O'Hare costs a few dollars against $50 for a cab. Lincoln Park Zoo, the Cultural Center's Tiffany dome and Millennium Park are free. Illinois residents get free museum days, but anyone can walk the Riverwalk.
Mid-range buys a River North or Loop hotel, the architecture river cruise, the Art Institute and the Field Museum, Wrigley Field in summer and a blues club at night.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
The Chicago Architecture Center's ninety-minute cruise, the city's essential tour
Get tickets on Tiqets →Seurat's Grande Jatte, Nighthawks, American Gothic and one of the great Impressionist collections
Get tickets on Tiqets →Sue, the most complete T. rex ever found, and a vast natural-history collection
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Art-deco tower in the Loop with a rooftop bar
Fulton Market hotel with a rooftop pool and some of the best restaurants nearby
Venetian Gothic gentlemen's club turned hotel, facing Millennium Park
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Architecture and art ~$220
Day 2: Museum Campus ~$200
Day 3: High and low ~$230
The Chicago Architecture Center river cruise is the single best thing to do — book a seat on the open top deck. A CityPASS pays off if you do the Art Institute, Field and Skydeck. Book Alinea-level restaurants weeks out.
Luxury Chicago is a lake-view suite on the Gold Coast, a private yacht on Lake Michigan, the Art Institute with a curator and a tasting menu at Alinea.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
The Hancock's 94th-floor observatory, tipping out over the Magnificent Mile
Get tickets on Tiqets →A skip-the-line tour of the masterpieces with an art historian
Get tickets on Tiqets →Skydeck, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and two more on one pass
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
In Mies van der Rohe's last American building, on the river
Gold Coast tower with lake views from every high floor
Off the Magnificent Mile with a glass-walled pool high above the city
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Art and the lake ~$1400
Day 2: Lake Michigan ~$1500
Day 3: Frank Lloyd Wright ~$1000
The Peninsula and the Langham are the two top addresses; the Langham sits in Mies's IBM Building. Alinea and Smyth are the tables. A private architecture boat lets you choose the route and the hour.
About Chicago
Continental with lake effect: hot, humid summers (27–29°C), very cold windy winters (-6 to 0°C, often far colder with wind chill). Spring and autumn are short.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -5° | -3° | 3° | 9° | 15° | 21° | 24° | 23° | 19° | 12° | 5° | -2° |
| 10d | 8d | 11d | 12d | 12d | 11d | 10d | 9d | 9d | 10d | 10d | 10d |
| low | low | low | mid | mid | high | high | high | high | mid | low | mid |
The "L" elevated trains run 24 hours on the Red and Blue lines and reach both airports. Downtown is walkable and the Lakefront Trail is perfect by Divvy bike. Rideshares cover the rest.
A travel eSIM gets you online the moment you land in United States — data plans start at $4 — no roaming bill, no queue for a local SIM, and nothing to swap in and out of your phone. Install it before you fly.
The downtown inside the elevated tracks: Millennium Park, the Art Institute, theatres and the river. Busy by day, quieter at night, and every L line meets here.
Best for midrangeNorth of the river, the densest cluster of hotels, steakhouses and nightlife, a short walk from the Magnificent Mile.
Best for midrangeThe lakeside blocks around the Magnificent Mile, with the grand hotels, mansions on Astor Street and Oak Street Beach.
Best for luxuryOld meatpacking warehouses turned into the city's best restaurant strip, with design hotels and rooftop bars.
Best for midrangeThe northwest neighbourhoods on the Blue Line: dive bars, cocktail dens, record shops and cheaper stays.
Best for budgetBrownstone streets by the park and the zoo, with Wrigley Field and its bars a few stops north on the Red Line.
Best for budget- ✓Tip 18–22% at restaurants; it is part of the price
- ✓Order a hot dog "dragged through the garden", with everything
- ✓Stand right, walk left on the L escalators
- ✓Dress in layers — the wind off the lake changes everything
- ✓Use the Ventra app or a contactless card on the L
- ✓Pick a side in Cubs versus Sox, or claim neutrality loudly
- ✗Put ketchup on a Chicago hot dog
- ✗Call it "Chi-town" to a local
- ✗Block the doors on a crowded train
- ✗Wander unfamiliar neighbourhoods late at night
- ✗Assume deep-dish is what locals eat every day — try tavern-style thin crust too
- ✗Underestimate winter: -20°C wind chill is not unusual
Travel Insurance for Chicago
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip to Chicago. Safety is rated The Loop, River North, the Magnificent Mile and the North Side neighbourhoods are safe for visitors. As in any big US city, stay alert on late-night trains and avoid unfamiliar areas of the South and West Sides after dark. — even in safe destinations, unexpected medical emergencies or trip cancellations can be costly. Make sure your policy covers emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, trip cancellation, and emergency evacuation.
Visa note: Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.. Some countries require proof of travel insurance as part of the visa application.
Get travel insurance for Chicago →FAQ: Chicago Travel Questions
Is Chicago safe to visit? ▾
The Loop, River North, the Magnificent Mile and the North Side neighbourhoods are safe for visitors. As in any big US city, stay alert on late-night trains and avoid unfamiliar areas of the South and West Sides after dark.
When is the best time to visit Chicago? ▾
May–June and September–October. July and August are hot and full of festivals; January and February are brutally cold. Continental with lake effect: hot, humid summers (27–29°C), very cold windy winters (-6 to 0°C, often far colder with wind chill). Spring and autumn are short.
How much does a trip to Chicago cost per day? ▾
- budget: $70–$120/day
- midrange: $190–$340/day
- luxury: $550–$1300/day
Do I need a visa to visit United States? ▾
Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.
How do I get around Chicago? ▾
The "L" elevated trains run 24 hours on the Red and Blue lines and reach both airports. Downtown is walkable and the Lakefront Trail is perfect by Divvy bike. Rideshares cover the rest. Chicago has a metro system. Taxi base fare ~$4. Day pass ~$5.
Is tipping expected in Chicago? ▾
Tipping is expected: 18–22% in restaurants, $1–2 a drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
What currency is used in United States? ▾
The local currency is USD, and the official language is English.