Presidential Towers
555 W Madison St,
Chicago, IL 60661
$1,515 - $5,530
Studio - 2 Beds
$2,037/month
Average Rent
658 Sq Ft
Average Apartment Size
+3%
Increase in the Last Year
As of April 2026, the average rent in Chicago, IL is $2,037 per month. This is 24% higher than the national average rent price of $1,641/month, making Chicago one of the most expensive cities in the US. When you rent an apartment in Chicago, you can expect to pay about $1,642 per month for a studio, $2,037 for a one-bedroom apartment, and around $2,562 for a two-bedroom apartment. If you opt for a three-bedroom rental, you could pay $3,072 or more.
In the past year, rent has increased by 3%, which averages out to $62 more per month.
Based on current rent prices, Greater Grand Crossing, Avalon Park and Brighton Park are the most affordable neighborhoods in Chicago.
Based on current rent prices, Cabrini-Green, River North and Fulton Market are the most expensive neighborhoods in Chicago.
The neighborhoods in Chicago with the most apartments available are Downtown Chicago, North Lakefront and West Loop .
Because the average rent in Chicago is $2,037, you’ll want to make about $6,790 per month or $81,480 per year. The general guideline is to pay no more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent. However, you’ll want to consider additional factors, such as your monthly bills and other expenses. Use our rent affordability calculator to help determine how much to budget for rent.
The cost of living in Chicago, IL is 17.6% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Chicago is 43.8% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,642 - $3,072. You can expect to pay 3.6% more for groceries, 5.5% less for utilities, and 4.3% more for transportation.
Use the tool below to compare Chicago, IL to other nearby cities and neighborhoods. The Apartments.com neighborhood guides provide you with insight into the area’s transportation, things to do, and more.
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† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.
* Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.