Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Albany, OR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Albany, OR and in Chicago, IL: $2,968 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

140

Cost of Living Index in Albany, OR
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Albany, OR Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Albany, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,968

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Albany, OR and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Albany, OR and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,968 in Albany, OR versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Albany, OR $2,968
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,301 in Albany, OR versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Albany, OR $4,301
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,633 in Albany, OR versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Albany, OR $5,633
Chicago, IL $5,999

Monthly costs are close between Albany, OR and Chicago, IL; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albany, OR 118% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$20.71 $20.71

21.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 $89.4

$89.2 $89.2

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$13.19 $13.19

0.08%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$5.66 $5.66

3.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.64 $2.64

-7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.28 $2.28

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$6.87 $6.87

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.84 $8.84

-8.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.25 $1.25

-25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.72 $3.72

-12.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$5.39 $5.39

-63.27%

Eggs

$3.43 $3.43

$4.74 $4.74

-27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$13.84 $13.84

-45.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$14.40 $14.40

29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.49 $27.49

$18.38 $18.38

49.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$5.22 $5.22

28.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.98 $1.98

2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.06 $4.06

46.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.78 $8.78

$4.97 $4.97

76.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.67 $2.67

3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.66 $2.66

-13.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.24 $2.24

40.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.13 $3.13

-16.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 $11.51

$13.82 $13.82

-16.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 $15.71

$14.88 $14.88

5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.54 $2.54

37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 $5.33

$3.51 $3.51

51.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.43 $2.43

-24.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 $66.6

$73.5 $73.5

-9.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.18 $3.18

58.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.39 $1.39

33.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.47 $24.47

$25.03 $25.03

-2.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.20 $1.20

6.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.2K $34.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-2.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$313 $313

$194 $194

60.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$62.7 $62.7

$69.5 $69.5

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$61.6 $61.6

10.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$47.90 $47.90

-17.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 $14.81

$17.81 $17.81

-16.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,662 $1,662

$1,794 $1,794

-7.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-23.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$67.0 $67.0

-3.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.63 $41.63

$52.1 $52.1

-20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$102 $102

10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$144 $144

-8.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 $1,539

$2,526 $2,526

-39.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$1,578 $1,578

-15.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,567 $2,567

$4,738 $4,738

-45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,091 $2,091

$2,693 $2,693

-22.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,046 $3,046

$4,190 $4,190

-27.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,024 $3,024

$2,768 $2,768

9.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,437 $4,437

$4,931 $4,931

-10.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.81

-6.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Albany, OR: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Albany, OR

$1.3K 44.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 18.6% $247

Groceries & Markets

Albany, OR

$491 16.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Albany, OR

$444 15%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 26.6% $118

Eating Out

Albany, OR

$386 13%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.8% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Albany, OR

$158 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 3.9% $6.1

Getting Around

Albany, OR

$88 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 5.8% $5.1

Sport & Entertainment

Albany, OR

$69 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,539 in Albany, OR and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $89 in Albany, OR vs $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $491 vs $447, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Albany, OR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:39 10:39 AM

12:39 12:39 PM

2 h ahead of Albany, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

99,224

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Albany, OR Chicago, IL 2,870 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Albany, OR
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Albany, OR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Albany, OR. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,539 in Albany, OR versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

A monthly transit pass in Albany, OR runs roughly 9% less than in Chicago, IL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Albany, OR is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Albany, OR wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.