Brewery Startup Cost Comparison

Wilmington, DE vs Chicago, IL

Wilmington, DE

$199,000 - $1,117,000

COL Index: 102.4

VS

Chicago, IL

$279,000 - $1,594,000

COL Index: 107.8

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense Wilmington, DE Chicago, IL Difference
Business Registration & Licenses
$500 - $5,000 $500 - $5,000 Same
Commercial Space & Build-Out
$68,500 - $410,900 $146,700 - $880,400 -53%
Equipment & Fixtures
$62,500 - $375,000 $62,500 - $375,000 Same
Initial Inventory & Supplies
$25,000 - $150,000 $25,000 - $150,000 Same
Business Insurance (Annual)
$2,000 - $12,000 $2,000 - $12,000 Same
Marketing & Grand Opening
$2,000 - $10,000 $2,000 - $10,000 Same
Working Capital (3 Months)
$38,400 - $153,600 $40,400 - $161,700 -5%
Total Estimated Cost $199,000 - $1,117,000 $279,000 - $1,594,000 -30%

Local Market Factors

Factor Wilmington Chicago
Cost of Living Index 102.4 107.8
Commercial Rent ($/sqft/yr) $14 - $28 $25 - $65
Labor Rate Index 1.02 1.15
Sales Tax 0% 10.25%
Minimum Wage $13.25/hr $15.80/hr
LLC Filing Fee $90 $150

Ready to Start Your Brewery?

Start your Brewery LLC in โ€” free registered agent for 1 year.

Form Your LLC for $0 + State Fee โ†’

Trusted by 500,000+ businesses ยท Excellent rating on Trustpilot

Start Your LLC โ€” $0 + State Fee