Is it cheaper to live in Chicago or Peoria for monthly utilities?

Peoria, IL is approximately 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL in average monthly utilities ($349/mo vs $365/mo), saving approximately $16 per month or $191 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare between Chicago and Peoria?

Residential electricity in Chicago is $0.162 per kWh served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison), compared to $0.162 per kWh in Peoria served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison).

What is the average water and sewer bill in Chicago compared to Peoria?

In Chicago, the minimum water and sewer base meter charge is $36.00/month with Tier 1 volumetric water priced at $4.40 per 1,000 gallons. In Peoria, baseline fixed meter fees are $36.00/month with Tier 1 water at $4.40 per 1,000 gallons.

How do weather and climate affect seasonal utility bills in Chicago vs Peoria?

Chicago experiences 1050 Cooling Degree Days (CDD) with a peak summer AC cost spike of 38%, whereas Peoria records 1839 CDD with a summer spike of 41%. Heating Degree Days (HDD) are 6100 in Chicago versus 4576 in Peoria.

Chicago, IL vs Peoria, IL Utility Costs Comparison (2026)

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

Select your home type to adjust estimated monthly consumption for Chicago and Peoria.

Chicago Est.

$365/mo

Power:$161

Water & Sewer:$89

Gas & Trash:$100

Projected Variance

+$16/mo

Peoria saves your household roughly $191 per year at this consumption tier.

Peoria Est.

$349/mo

Power:$161

Water & Sewer:$89

Gas & Trash:$100

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

Direct comparison of published rates, electric tariffs, and municipal meter charges.

EIA-861 Calibrated

Utility Component	Chicago, IL	Peoria, IL
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh)	$0.162 / kWh	$0.162 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee	$15.50/mo	$15.50/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure	ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) Deregulated REP Market	ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) Deregulated REP Market
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm)	$1.25 / Therm	$1.25 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge	$34.50/mo	$34.50/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4")	$18.00/mo	$18.00/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal)	$4.40	$4.40
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal)	$6.20	$6.20
Wastewater / Sewer Rates	Base: $18.00/mo Volumetric: $4.40/1k gal	Base: $18.00/mo Volumetric: $4.40/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling	$9.50/mo	$9.50/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee	$0.00/mo	$7.50/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee	Deposit: $150 – $300 Turn-on: $25.00	Deposit: $150 – $300 Turn-on: $25.00

Climate & Seasonal HVAC Load Drivers

NOAA degree-day data dictating peak air conditioning and heating power spikes.

NOAA 1991–2020 Normals

Climate Indicator	Chicago, IL	Peoria, IL
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD)	1,050 CDD	1,839 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD)	6,100 HDD	4,576 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility	+38% Summer Spike	+41% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary	Continental climate with severe winter cold and heating loads, plus hot humid summer cycles.	NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 1,839 Cooling Degree Days and 4,576 Heating Degree Days annually across Peoria County.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

Rooftop solar irradiance and net metering rules to mitigate high utility bills.

NREL Solar Data

Solar Component	Chicago, IL	Peoria, IL
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours	4.4 hrs/day	4.6 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation	Illinois Shines (IPA) solar rebates + ComEd full 1:1 net metering credit.	Illinois Shines (IPA) solar rebates + ComEd full 1:1 net metering credit.
City Solar Calculator	Chicago Solar Estimator →	Peoria Solar Estimator →

🏙️ Chicago Official Estimator

Chicago, IL Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Chicago.

ZIP: chicago Open Chicago Hub →

🏙️ Peoria Official Estimator

Peoria, IL Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Peoria.

ZIP: peoria Open Peoria Hub →

Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Chicago vs Peoria

Direct answers to key cost of living and utility comparison questions.

Is it cheaper to live in Chicago or Peoria for utilities? ▼

Peoria, IL is approximately 5% cheaper than Chicago, IL in overall monthly utility bills ($349/mo vs $365/mo). A typical household saves around $16 per month or $191 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare per kilowatt-hour? ▼

Residential electricity in Chicago costs $0.162 per kWh supplied by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison), compared to $0.162 per kWh in Peoria served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison). For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $0.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.

What is the water and sewer rate difference between Chicago and Peoria? ▼

In Chicago, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $18.00/mo plus $18.00/mo sewer baseline. In Peoria, the base water fee is $18.00/mo with $18.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $4.40/1k gal in Chicago versus $4.40/1k gal in Peoria.

How does weather and climate impact summer and winter power bills? ▼

Chicago logs 1,050 Cooling Degree Days with a 38% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, Peoria records 1,839 CDD with a 41% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 6,100 in Chicago versus 4,576 in Peoria.

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📍 Popular Comparisons for Chicago

Chicago vs Springfield, IL $365 vs $349 → Chicago vs New York City, NY $365 vs $440 → Chicago vs New York, NY $365 vs $439 → Chicago vs Los Angeles, CA $365 vs $395 →

📍 Popular Comparisons for Peoria

Peoria vs Springfield, IL $349 vs $349 → Peoria vs New York City, NY $349 vs $440 → Peoria vs New York, NY $349 vs $439 → Peoria vs Los Angeles, CA $349 vs $395 →

Chicago, IL vs Peoria, IL

Chicago

Peoria

Executive Summary & Citability Passage