Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Ames, IA: $2,142 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Ames, IA
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Ames, IA Living Index
153

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

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Ames, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,142

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,142 in Ames, IA versus $3,185 in Chicago, IL.

Ames, IA $2,142
Chicago, IL $3,185

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,242 in Ames, IA versus $4,631 in Chicago, IL.

Ames, IA $3,242
Chicago, IL $4,631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,342 in Ames, IA versus $6,077 in Chicago, IL.

Ames, IA $4,342
Chicago, IL $6,077

Living in Ames, IA costs roughly 33% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ames, IA 59% above, Chicago, IL 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 $18.13

$21.58 $21.58

-15.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 $52.0

$88.7 $88.7

-41.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.20 $13.20

-7.73%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$5.59 $5.59

-12.88%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.63 $2.63

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.26 $2.26

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 $4.05

$7.11 $7.11

-43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$9.23 $9.23

-26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.28 $1.28

-30.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.84 $3.84

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.07 $5.07

-35.70%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$4.84 $4.84

-30.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$14.17 $14.17

-28.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$14.61 $14.61

-6.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$18.76 $18.76

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.19 $5.19

13.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.00 $2.00

-9.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$4.00 $4.00

67.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.98 $4.98

4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.79 $2.79

62.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.65 $2.65

53.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.13 $2.13

8.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.09 $3.09

-21.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.03 $13.03

$16.05 $16.05

-18.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 $16.11

$15.20 $15.20

5.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.62 $2.62

9.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.46 $3.46

43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.47 $2.47

-59.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.57 $35.57

$75.1 $75.1

-52.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.21 $3.21

58.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.39 $1.39

21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$25.02 $25.02

-3.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.24 $1.24

-22.58%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$37.2K $37.2K

-33.48%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

-2.91%

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

$176 $176

$192 $192

-8.31%

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

$54.3 $54.3

$67.8 $67.8

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$60.9 $60.9

16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 $69.0

$53.6 $53.6

28.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.74 $19.74

$27.90 $27.90

-29.25%

Cinema Ticket

$15.97 $15.97

$17.80 $17.80

-10.28%

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

$1,370 $1,370

$1,554 $1,554

-11.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K $36.1K

$31.4K $31.4K

15.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 $58.4

$67.9 $67.9

-13.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 $44.68

$50.8 $50.8

-11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$101 $101

-11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$143 $143

-27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 $1,005

$2,383 $2,383

-57.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 $822

$1,712 $1,712

-51.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$4,674 $4,674

-60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$2,738 $2,738

-45.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 $2,432

$4,158 $4,158

-41.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,185 $2,185

$2,691 $2,691

-18.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,597 $3,597

$4,894 $4,894

-26.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.77

-5.32%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ames, IA

$822 38.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 108% $890

Groceries & Markets

Ames, IA

$436 20.4%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 3.4% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ames, IA

$302 14.1%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 6.4% $19

Eating Out

Ames, IA

$293 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 20.3% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Ames, IA

$134 6.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 22% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Ames, IA

$101 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 11.7% $12

Getting Around

Ames, IA

$53 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 79.2% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Ames, IA and $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 36% 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: $52.0 in Ames, IA vs $89.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $451 per month, with Ames, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ames, IA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Ames, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,427

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ames, IA Chicago, IL 500 km

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Ames, IA
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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

Ames, IA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ames, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ames, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 36% 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: $1,005 in Ames, IA versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ames, IA runs roughly 111% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,370 in Ames, IA versus $1,554 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,142 in Ames, IA versus $3,185 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ames, IA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Ames, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ames, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,142 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ames, IA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ames, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.