Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Beckley, WV and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Beckley, WV: $2,092 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Beckley, WV
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Beckley, WV Living Index
152

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

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Beckley, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,092

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,092 in Beckley, WV versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Beckley, WV $2,092
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,156 in Beckley, WV versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Beckley, WV $3,156
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,220 in Beckley, WV versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Beckley, WV $4,220
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Beckley, WV costs roughly 33% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beckley, WV 54% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$20.65 $20.65

-4.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$90.2 $90.2

-15.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 $11.85

$12.94 $12.94

-8.42%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$5.60 $5.60

-3.21%

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

$2.64 $2.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.27 $2.27

-29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.98 $6.98

-13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 $5.17

$8.83 $8.83

-41.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.27 $1.27

-15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.80 $3.80

-6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.30 $5.30

-16.60%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$4.76 $4.76

-11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$13.96 $13.96

-6.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 $11.43

$14.61 $14.61

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 $16.84

$18.77 $18.77

-10.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.19 $5.19

-5.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.98 $1.98

-17.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.93 $3.93

6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.96 $4.96

-7.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.76 $2.76

10.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.22 $2.22

-5.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.98 $2.98

-23.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.48 $9.48

$14.02 $14.02

-32.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.28 $15.28

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.58 $2.58

-24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.50 $3.50

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.47 $2.47

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$74.8 $74.8

-12.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.34 $3.34

-11.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.43 $1.43

29.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.58 $32.58

$24.32 $24.32

33.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.26 $1.26

-15.08%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-17.44%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-4.71%

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

$202 $202

$193 $193

4.70%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$68.3 $68.3

-14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$61.3 $61.3

13.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.62 $41.62

$54.1 $54.1

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$17.74 $17.74

-21.31%

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

$1,335 $1,335

$1,652 $1,652

-19.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-29.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$66.1 $66.1

-19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 $41.69

$51.2 $51.2

-18.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$100 $100

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$141 $141

-18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 $1,044

$2,446 $2,446

-57.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 $759

$1,678 $1,678

-54.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 $1,547

$4,717 $4,717

-67.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$2,795 $2,795

-53.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,280 $1,280

$4,105 $4,105

-68.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 $1,263

$2,650 $2,650

-52.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,586 $4,586

$4,866 $4,866

-5.74%

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 Beckley, WV: 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

Beckley, WV

$759 36.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 121% $918

Groceries & Markets

Beckley, WV

$398 19%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 12.9% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Beckley, WV

$330 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 2.3% $7.5

Eating Out

Beckley, WV

$316 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 8.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Beckley, WV

$134 6.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 20.3% $27

Getting Around

Beckley, WV

$86 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 10.9% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Beckley, WV

$70 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 28.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,044 in Beckley, WV and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 6% 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: $76.0 in Beckley, WV vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $449 per month, with Beckley, WV cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Beckley, WV

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:57 9:57 AM

08:57 8:57 AM

1 h behind Beckley, WV

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,828

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

Beckley, WV Chicago, IL 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Beckley, WV
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

Beckley, WV vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beckley, WV wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Beckley, WV the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 6% 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: $1,044 in Beckley, WV versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,092 per month in Beckley, WV versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beckley, WV runs roughly 14% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,092 in Beckley, WV versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Beckley, WV but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Beckley, WV the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Beckley, WV delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,092 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Beckley, WV hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Beckley, WV gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.