Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, MN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, MN: $2,515 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Austin, MN
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Austin, MN Living Index
147

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

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Austin, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,515 per month in Austin, MN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Austin, MN $2,515
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,745 per month in Austin, MN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Austin, MN $3,745
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,975 per month in Austin, MN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Austin, MN $4,975
Chicago, IL $5,999

Austin, MN is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Austin, MN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Austin, MN by 85%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$20.71 $20.71

-4.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.9 $99.9

$89.2 $89.2

11.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$13.19 $13.19

-7.51%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$5.66 $5.66

-12.37%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.64 $2.64

12.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.28 $2.28

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.87 $6.87

-27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$8.84 $8.84

-33.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.25 $1.25

-31.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.72 $3.72

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$5.39 $5.39

-63.45%

Eggs

$2.66 $2.66

$4.74 $4.74

-43.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 $9.80

$13.84 $13.84

-29.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$14.40 $14.40

-55.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 $19.04

$18.38 $18.38

3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.22 $5.22

3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.98 $1.98

-37.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$4.06 $4.06

-10.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$4.97 $4.97

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.67 $2.67

-8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.66 $2.66

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.24 $2.24

-31.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.13 $3.13

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.73 $9.73

$13.82 $13.82

-29.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$14.88 $14.88

-80.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.54 $2.54

-33.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.51 $3.51

-13.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.43 $2.43

-5.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 $51.5

$73.5 $73.5

-29.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.18 $3.18

-38.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.39 $1.39

-11.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.27 $20.27

$25.03 $25.03

-19.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.20 $1.20

-17.50%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.61%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-5.79%

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

$185 $185

$194 $194

-4.71%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$69.5 $69.5

-23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.7 $77.7

$61.6 $61.6

26.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 $42.15

$47.90 $47.90

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 $10.17

$17.81 $17.81

-42.90%

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

$1,306 $1,306

$1,794 $1,794

-27.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

-62.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 $75.0

$67.0 $67.0

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 $54.0

$52.1 $52.1

3.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$102 $102

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 $166

$144 $144

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 $1,471

$2,526 $2,526

-41.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$1,578 $1,578

-18.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,519 $2,519

$4,738 $4,738

-46.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 $2,111

$2,693 $2,693

-21.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,819 $2,819

$4,190 $4,190

-32.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 $2,036

$2,768 $2,768

-26.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Austin, MN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, MN

$1.3K 50.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.2% $298

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, MN

$316 12.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2.9% $9.1

Eating Out

Austin, MN

$312 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.7% $33

Groceries & Markets

Austin, MN

$296 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 51.1% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, MN

$180 7.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 8.8% $16

Getting Around

Austin, MN

$69 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 35.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, MN

$62 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 33.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,471 in Austin, MN versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Austin, MN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Austin, MN vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Austin, MN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, MN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:35 3:35 PM

Same time as Austin, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Austin, MN Chicago, IL 480 km

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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

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,773 per month in Austin, MN and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,471 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Austin, MN and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,515 in Austin, MN and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Austin, MN about 17% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,515 in Austin, MN and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Austin, MN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.