Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anderson, SC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Anderson, SC: $2,407 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Anderson, SC
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Anderson, SC Living Index
152

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

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Anderson, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,407

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,407 in Anderson, SC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Anderson, SC $2,407
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,692 in Anderson, SC versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Anderson, SC $3,692
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,976 in Anderson, SC versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Anderson, SC $4,976
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Anderson, SC costs roughly 23% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Anderson, SC 78% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 $14.72

$20.65 $20.65

-28.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$90.2 $90.2

12.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$12.94 $12.94

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$6.77 $6.77

$5.60 $5.60

20.89%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$2.64 $2.64

15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.27 $2.27

20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 $4.01

$6.98 $6.98

-42.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$8.83 $8.83

-43.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.27 $1.27

-21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.80 $3.80

7.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$5.30 $5.30

24.15%

Eggs

$5.00 $5.00

$4.76 $4.76

5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$13.96 $13.96

-16.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$14.61 $14.61

14.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.49 $24.49

$18.77 $18.77

30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$5.19 $5.19

41.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$3.93 $3.93

39.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$4.96 $4.96

23.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.76 $2.76

10.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.76 $2.76

39.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.98 $2.98

-10.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 $7.30

$14.02 $14.02

-47.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 $13.67

$15.28 $15.28

-10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.58 $2.58

12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.50 $3.50

5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.47 $2.47

67.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.8 $50.8

$74.8 $74.8

-32.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.34 $3.34

80.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.43 $1.43

-32.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.26 $1.26

-33.33%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-18.06%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

21.18%

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

$237 $237

$193 $193

22.95%

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

$90.2 $90.2

$68.3 $68.3

32.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$61.3 $61.3

5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 $40.21

$54.1 $54.1

-25.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.84 $22.84

$27.92 $27.92

-18.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$17.74 $17.74

-32.64%

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

$2,935 $2,935

$1,652 $1,652

77.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-61.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.32 $36.32

$66.1 $66.1

-45.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.44 $29.44

$51.2 $51.2

-42.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 $63.9

$100 $100

-36.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 $62.8

$141 $141

-55.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 $1,118

$2,446 $2,446

-54.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 $1,002

$1,678 $1,678

-40.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$4,717 $4,717

-62.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 $1,756

$2,795 $2,795

-37.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 $2,069

$4,105 $4,105

-49.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,098 $2,098

$2,650 $2,650

-20.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 $3,278

$4,866 $4,866

-32.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Anderson, SC: 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

Anderson, SC

$1K 41.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 67.5% $676

Groceries & Markets

Anderson, SC

$497 20.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 9.6% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anderson, SC

$392 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 17.8% $70

Eating Out

Anderson, SC

$288 12%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 19.3% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Anderson, SC

$87 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 86.2% $75

Getting Around

Anderson, SC

$78 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 21.6% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Anderson, SC

$64 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 39.7% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,118 in Anderson, SC and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 48% 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 Anderson, SC vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 vs $449 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anderson, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:06 1:06 AM

00:06 12:06 AM

1 h behind Anderson, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

57,496

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

Anderson, SC Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Anderson, SC
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

Anderson, SC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anderson, SC is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% 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: $1,118 in Anderson, SC versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Anderson, SC runs roughly 47% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,935 in Anderson, SC versus $1,652 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,407 in Anderson, SC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Anderson, SC but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Anderson, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Anderson, SC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Anderson, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.