Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Albert Lea, MN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Albert Lea, MN: $1,944 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Albert Lea, MN
Learn more

Albert Lea, MN Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Albert Lea, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,944

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Albert Lea, MN 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 Albert Lea, MN and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,944 in Albert Lea, MN versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Albert Lea, MN $1,944
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,969 in Albert Lea, MN versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Albert Lea, MN $2,969
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,995 in Albert Lea, MN versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Albert Lea, MN $3,995
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Albert Lea, MN costs roughly 38% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Albert Lea, MN 43% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$20.65 $20.65

-3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$90.2 $90.2

12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$12.94 $12.94

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$6.29 $6.29

$5.60 $5.60

12.32%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.64 $2.64

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.27 $2.27

12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$6.98 $6.98

-30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$8.83 $8.83

-35.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 $1.27

-27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.80 $3.80

-22.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$5.30 $5.30

-59.06%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$4.76 $4.76

-18.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$13.96 $13.96

-36.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.56 $16.56

$14.61 $14.61

13.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.96 $18.96

$18.77 $18.77

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$5.19 $5.19

4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.98 $1.98

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.93 $3.93

24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.96 $4.96

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.76 $2.76

-1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.76 $2.76

-19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.22 $2.22

21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.98 $2.98

-22.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 $9.92

$14.02 $14.02

-29.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.28 $15.28

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.58 $2.58

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.50 $3.50

-3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.47 $2.47

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.34 $3.34

-41.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.43 $1.43

-10.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 $20.31

$24.32 $24.32

-16.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.26 $1.26

-25.40%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.81%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.82%

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

$185 $185

$193 $193

-4.18%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$68.3 $68.3

-21.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$61.3 $61.3

29.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.66 $39.66

$54.1 $54.1

-26.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.82 $9.82

$17.74 $17.74

-44.64%

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

$1,350 $1,350

$1,652 $1,652

-18.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

-61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.76 $45.76

$66.1 $66.1

-30.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 $24.54

$51.2 $51.2

-52.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 $50.6

$100 $100

-49.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.6 $59.6

$141 $141

-57.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 $1,030

$2,446 $2,446

-57.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 $739

$1,678 $1,678

-55.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 $1,586

$4,717 $4,717

-66.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 $1,188

$2,795 $2,795

-57.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 $2,942

$4,105 $4,105

-28.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,028 $2,028

$2,650 $2,650

-23.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,957 $2,957

$4,866 $4,866

-39.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Albert Lea, MN: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Albert Lea, MN

$739 38%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 127% $939

Groceries & Markets

Albert Lea, MN

$400 20.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 12.3% $49

Eating Out

Albert Lea, MN

$330 17%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 4.2% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Albert Lea, MN

$318 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 1.4% $4.6

Clothing & Footwear

Albert Lea, MN

$81 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 98.4% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Albert Lea, MN

$59 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 51.1% $30

Getting Around

Albert Lea, MN

$17 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 469% $78

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,030 in Albert Lea, MN and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Albert Lea, MN vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 vs $449, with Albert Lea, MN cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Albert Lea, MN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

21:15 9:15 PM

Same time as Albert Lea, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,758

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Albert Lea, MN Chicago, IL 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Albert Lea, MN
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

Albert Lea, MN vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albert Lea, MN and Chicago, IL differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,944 vs $3,139 including rent). Albert Lea, MN is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Chicago, IL. 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: $1,030 in Albert Lea, MN versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,350 in Albert Lea, MN versus $1,652 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albert Lea, MN – a meal for two runs $102 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,944 in Albert Lea, MN versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Albert Lea, MN but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Albert Lea, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Albert Lea, MN and Chicago, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Albert Lea, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.