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

Raleigh, NC is approximately 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL in average monthly utilities ($318/mo vs $365/mo), saving approximately $47 per month or $564 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare between Raleigh and Chicago?

Residential electricity in Raleigh is $0.128 per kWh served by Duke Energy Progress, compared to $0.162 per kWh in Chicago served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison).

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

In Raleigh, the minimum water and sewer base meter charge is $27.70/month with Tier 1 volumetric water priced at $3.35 per 1,000 gallons. In Chicago, 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 Raleigh vs Chicago?

Raleigh experiences 1820 Cooling Degree Days (CDD) with a peak summer AC cost spike of 42%, whereas Chicago records 1050 CDD with a summer spike of 38%. Heating Degree Days (HDD) are 3100 in Raleigh versus 6100 in Chicago.

Raleigh, NC vs Chicago, IL Utility Costs Comparison (2026)

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

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

Raleigh Est.

$318/mo

Power:$129

Water & Sewer:$80

Gas & Trash:$97

Projected Variance

-$47/mo

Raleigh saves your household roughly $564 per year at this consumption tier.

Chicago Est.

$365/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	Raleigh, NC	Chicago, IL
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh)	$0.128 / kWh	$0.162 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee	$14.00/mo	$15.50/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure	Duke Energy Progress Regulated Monopoly Utility	ComEd (Commonwealth Edison) Deregulated REP Market
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm)	$1.25 / Therm	$1.25 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge	$15.00/mo	$34.50/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4")	$14.20/mo	$18.00/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal)	$3.35	$4.40
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal)	$5.40	$6.20
Wastewater / Sewer Rates	Base: $13.50/mo Volumetric: $5.30/1k gal	Base: $18.00/mo Volumetric: $4.40/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling	$26.00/mo	$9.50/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee	$6.20/mo	$0.00/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee	Deposit: $100 – $220 Turn-on: $20.00	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	Raleigh, NC	Chicago, IL
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD)	1,820 CDD	1,050 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD)	3,100 HDD	6,100 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility	+42% Summer Spike	+38% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary	Four distinct seasons with warm summers requiring AC and moderate winters.	Continental climate with severe winter cold and heating loads, plus hot humid summer cycles.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

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

NREL Solar Data

Solar Component	Raleigh, NC	Chicago, IL
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours	4.6 hrs/day	4.4 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation	Duke Energy Progress Solar Rider (Bridge Rate) with monthly time-of-use netting and 80% property tax exemption.	Illinois Shines (IPA) solar rebates + ComEd full 1:1 net metering credit.
City Solar Calculator	Raleigh Solar Estimator →	Chicago Solar Estimator →

🏙️ Raleigh Official Estimator

Raleigh, NC Utility Calculator

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

ZIP: raleigh Open Raleigh Hub →

🏙️ 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 →

Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Raleigh vs Chicago

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

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

Raleigh, NC is approximately 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL in overall monthly utility bills ($318/mo vs $365/mo). A typical household saves around $47 per month or $564 annually.

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

Residential electricity in Raleigh costs $0.128 per kWh supplied by Duke Energy Progress, compared to $0.162 per kWh in Chicago served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison). For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $34.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.

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

In Raleigh, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $14.20/mo plus $13.50/mo sewer baseline. In Chicago, the base water fee is $18.00/mo with $18.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $3.35/1k gal in Raleigh versus $4.40/1k gal in Chicago.

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

Raleigh logs 1,820 Cooling Degree Days with a 42% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, Chicago records 1,050 CDD with a 38% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 3,100 in Raleigh versus 6,100 in Chicago.

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📍 Popular Comparisons for Chicago

Chicago vs New York City, NY $365 vs $440 → Chicago vs Los Angeles, CA $365 vs $395 → Chicago vs Houston, TX $365 vs $370 → Chicago vs Phoenix, AZ $365 vs $390 →

Raleigh, NC vs Chicago, IL

Raleigh

Chicago

Executive Summary & Citability Passage