3Eleven vs The Leo: Best 1-Bedroom in River North?

TL;DR For a one bedroom in River North, The Leo is the better deal. Its one bedrooms start around $2,775 versus $2,925 at 3Eleven, for the same 736 square feet. Both sit near the Merchandise Mart stop and carry near-identical Google ratings (3Eleven 4.4, The Leo 4.3), so price and groceries end up being the tiebreakers.

3Eleven and The Leo are two River North towers that get compared a lot, and for good reason. They are close together, similar in style, and both aimed at the same renter.

So if you are choosing between them for a one bedroom, which one actually wins? We pulled the live numbers on both. Here is the honest answer.

The one bedroom head to head

This is the matchup most renters care about, so let us start here.

	3Eleven	The Leo
1BR starts at	$2,925	$2,775
1BR size	~736 sq ft	~736 sq ft
Google rating	4.4 (45 reviews)	4.3 (37 reviews)

Same size, near-identical ratings, but The Leo comes in about $150 a month cheaper for the one bedroom.

Over a year that is roughly $1,800 back in your pocket for what is, functionally, the same apartment. For a straight one bedroom decision, that is hard to argue with.

On reviews, the two are close: 3Eleven sits at 4.4 stars across 45 reviews, just ahead of The Leo at 4.3 across 37. Both have enough ratings behind them to trust the score, so it stays a near-wash that comes down to price.

Studios and two bedrooms

If you are not set on a one bedroom, the picture shifts.

For studios, the two run close, with The Leo starting around $2,350 for a 471 square foot studio and 3Eleven around $2,425 for about 450 square feet. Slight edge to The Leo on both price and space.

For two bedrooms, 3Eleven clearly wins. Its two bedrooms start around $4,750 for a roomy 1,138 square feet, while The Leo starts at $5,050 for a smaller 1,052 square feet. More space for less money at 3Eleven.

So the quick rule is this. One bedroom, go Leo. Two bedroom, go 3Eleven. Studio, slight edge to Leo too.

Location and groceries

Both buildings are about as close as you can get on transit. Each sits near the Merchandise Mart stop on the Brown and Purple Lines, so you are a short ride from the Loop either way.

The grocery difference is the small tiebreaker. The Leo is closest to a Whole Foods, and 3Eleven is closest to a Jewel-Osco. If you are a Whole Foods person, that nudges you toward The Leo. If you would rather save at Jewel, 3Eleven has you.

Overall value

Averaged across all their units, 3Eleven runs about $3,079 a month and The Leo about $3,320. That makes 3Eleven a bit cheaper on the whole, mostly because The Leo leans pricier on the larger units.

But averages can mislead. What matters is the unit you actually want.

The verdict

If you want a one bedroom, The Leo is the better buy. Same square footage, about $150 a month less, and a more proven rating.

If you want a two bedroom, flip to 3Eleven for more space at a lower price.

Either way you are in the heart of River North on a quick Loop commute. Want the bigger picture before you tour? Read living in River North, or see what each budget rents here. Then book a tour from our live listings.

Hero image: Photo by Hunter Schroeder on Pexels