Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baton Rouge, LA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Baton Rouge, LA: $2,240 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Baton Rouge, LA
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Baton Rouge, LA Living Index
147

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

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Baton Rouge, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,240

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,240 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Baton Rouge, LA $2,240
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,302 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Baton Rouge, LA $3,302
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,364 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Baton Rouge, LA $4,364
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Baton Rouge, LA costs roughly 26% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baton Rouge, LA 65% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$20.71 $20.71

-27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$89.2 $89.2

-5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.01 $12.01

$13.19 $13.19

-8.95%

Cappuccino

$6.15 $6.15

$5.66 $5.66

8.66%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$2.64 $2.64

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.28 $2.28

-40.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.41 $5.41

$6.87 $6.87

-21.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 $7.63

$8.84 $8.84

-13.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.25 $1.25

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.72 $3.72

-22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$5.39 $5.39

-56.03%

Eggs

$2.96 $2.96

$4.74 $4.74

-37.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 $12.95

$13.84 $13.84

-6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$14.40 $14.40

0.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.32 $23.32

$18.38 $18.38

26.88%

Apples (1kg)

$7.23 $7.23

$5.22 $5.22

38.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.98 $1.98

51.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$4.06 $4.06

53.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.97 $4.97

-12.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.67 $2.67

35.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.66 $2.66

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.13 $3.13

-44.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 $9.20

$13.82 $13.82

-33.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 $18.65

$14.88 $14.88

25.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.54 $2.54

-27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.51 $3.51

-41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.43 $2.43

-27.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 $56.1

$73.5 $73.5

-23.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.18 $3.18

25.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.39 $1.39

-9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.9 $60.9

$25.03 $25.03

143.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.48%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

1.07%

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

$138 $138

$194 $194

-28.79%

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

$44.40 $44.40

$69.5 $69.5

-36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 $69.6

$61.6 $61.6

12.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.87 $47.87

$47.90 $47.90

-0.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.18 $10.18

$27.34 $27.34

-62.77%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 $11.85

$17.81 $17.81

-33.46%

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

$1,909 $1,909

$1,794 $1,794

6.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K $10.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-68.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.18 $33.18

$67.0 $67.0

-50.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.39 $42.39

$52.1 $52.1

-18.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$102 $102

-14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 $72.2

$144 $144

-49.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 $2,096

$2,526 $2,526

-17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$1,578 $1,578

-36.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,551 $2,551

$4,738 $4,738

-46.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 $1,510

$2,693 $2,693

-43.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,761 $1,761

$4,190 $4,190

-57.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,619 $1,619

$2,768 $2,768

-41.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,366 $3,366

$4,931 $4,931

-31.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

6.81

-7.20%

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

Last update for Baton Rouge, LA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Baton Rouge, LA

$1K 45.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 56.3% $568

Groceries & Markets

Baton Rouge, LA

$442 19.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 1.3% $5.7

Eating Out

Baton Rouge, LA

$286 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 20.6% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baton Rouge, LA

$252 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 28.9% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Baton Rouge, LA

$105 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 55.6% $59

Getting Around

Baton Rouge, LA

$73 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 27.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Baton Rouge, LA

$72 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 16.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,096 in Baton Rouge, LA and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 46% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84 in Baton Rouge, LA vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $447 per month, with Baton Rouge, LA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Baton Rouge, LA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:32 3:32 PM

Same time as Baton Rouge, LA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

229,493

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Baton Rouge, LA Chicago, IL 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Baton Rouge, LA
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

Baton Rouge, LA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,240 in Baton Rouge, LA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL, so Baton Rouge, LA is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Baton Rouge, LA. 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: $2,096 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,909 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,794 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 Baton Rouge, LA – a meal for two runs $84 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,240 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Baton Rouge, LA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Baton Rouge, LA 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.

It comes down to priorities – Baton Rouge, LA wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.