Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Artesia, NM and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Artesia, NM: $2,346 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

112

Cost of Living Index in Artesia, NM
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Artesia, NM Living Index
152

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

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Artesia, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,346

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,346 in Artesia, NM versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Artesia, NM $2,346
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,160 in Artesia, NM versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Artesia, NM $3,160
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,974 in Artesia, NM versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Artesia, NM $3,974
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Artesia, NM costs roughly 25% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Artesia, NM 73% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.28 $16.28

$20.65 $20.65

-21.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.94 $46.94

$90.2 $90.2

-47.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.94 $12.94

-7.42%

Cappuccino

$6.13 $6.13

$5.60 $5.60

9.46%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.64 $2.64

-11.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.27 $2.27

-29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$6.98 $6.98

-14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$8.83 $8.83

-21.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.27 $1.27

-34.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.80 $3.80

-24.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$5.30 $5.30

-53.21%

Eggs

$3.45 $3.45

$4.76 $4.76

-27.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$13.96 $13.96

-15.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$14.61 $14.61

-19.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$18.77 $18.77

-30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$5.19 $5.19

-31.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.93 $3.93

-33.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$4.96 $4.96

-26.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.76 $2.76

-23.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.76 $2.76

-2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.22 $2.22

-20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.98 $2.98

-45.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$14.02 $14.02

-27.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.26 $9.26

$15.28 $15.28

-39.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.58 $2.58

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 $4.74

$3.50 $3.50

35.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.47 $2.47

-17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 $1.61

$3.34 $3.34

-51.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.43 $1.43

-4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.81 $26.81

$24.32 $24.32

10.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.26 $1.26

-23.81%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.08%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.24%

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

$149 $149

$193 $193

-22.72%

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

$72.2 $72.2

$68.3 $68.3

5.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$61.3 $61.3

11.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$54.1 $54.1

-22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 $8.02

$17.74 $17.74

-54.79%

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

$581 $581

$1,652 $1,652

-64.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,020 $7,020

$31.1K $31.1K

-77.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.66 $37.66

$66.1 $66.1

-43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.76 $36.76

$51.2 $51.2

-28.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$100 $100

-15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 $79.0

$141 $141

-43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 $1,524

$2,446 $2,446

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 $1,250

$1,678 $1,678

-25.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 $2,084

$4,717 $4,717

-55.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$2,795 $2,795

-41.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,773 $2,773

$4,105 $4,105

-32.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,389 $2,389

$2,650 $2,650

-9.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,509 $3,509

$4,866 $4,866

-27.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Artesia, NM: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Artesia, NM

$1.2K 53.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 34.2% $428

Groceries & Markets

Artesia, NM

$326 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 38.1% $124

Eating Out

Artesia, NM

$299 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 14.8% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Artesia, NM

$289 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 11.4% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Artesia, NM

$107 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 50.4% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Artesia, NM

$58 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 54.7% $32

Getting Around

Artesia, NM

$17 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 474% $79

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 $1,524 in Artesia, NM and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 39% 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: $47.00 in Artesia, NM vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $449 per month, with Artesia, NM cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Artesia, NM

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:11 2:11 AM

03:11 3:11 AM

1 h ahead of Artesia, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,522

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

Artesia, NM Chicago, IL 1,790 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Artesia, NM
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

Artesia, NM vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Artesia, NM wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Artesia, NM the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $1,524 in Artesia, NM versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $581 in Artesia, NM 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 Artesia, NM – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,346 in Artesia, NM versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Artesia, NM but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Artesia, NM the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Artesia, NM delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,346 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Artesia, NM hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Artesia, NM gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.