Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellevue, NE and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellevue, NE: $2,249 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, NE
Learn more

Bellevue, NE Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Bellevue, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,249

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,249 per month in Bellevue, NE vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bellevue, NE $2,249
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,403 per month in Bellevue, NE vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bellevue, NE $3,403
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,558 per month in Bellevue, NE vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Bellevue, NE $4,558
Chicago, IL $5,999

Bellevue, NE is about 26% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bellevue, NE and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Bellevue, NE by 65%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.71 $20.71

-2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$89.2 $89.2

-16.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$13.19 $13.19

-9.63%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$5.66 $5.66

4.42%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$2.64 $2.64

-2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.28 $2.28

-17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$6.87 $6.87

-14.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 $7.51

$8.84 $8.84

-15.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.25 $1.25

-23.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.72 $3.72

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$5.39 $5.39

-20.78%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$4.74 $4.74

-11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$13.84 $13.84

-18.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 $9.46

$14.40 $14.40

-34.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 $15.72

$18.38 $18.38

-14.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.22 $5.22

-15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.98 $1.98

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.06 $4.06

8.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.97 $4.97

-10.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.67 $2.67

-29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.66 $2.66

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.24 $2.24

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.13 $3.13

-19.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 $8.16

$13.82 $13.82

-40.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 $15.56

$14.88 $14.88

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.54 $2.54

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 $5.73

$3.51 $3.51

63.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.43 $2.43

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$73.5 $73.5

-19.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.18 $3.18

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.39 $1.39

-0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.15 $25.15

$25.03 $25.03

0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.20 $1.20

-19.17%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-7.74%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.41%

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

$203 $203

$194 $194

4.54%

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

$66.8 $66.8

$69.5 $69.5

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 $72.1

$61.6 $61.6

16.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 $42.48

$47.90 $47.90

-11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.10 $40.10

$27.34 $27.34

46.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$17.81 $17.81

-17.18%

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

$977 $977

$1,794 $1,794

-45.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K $19.6K

$31.9K $31.9K

-38.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 $61.1

$67.0 $67.0

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.89 $42.89

$52.1 $52.1

-17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$144 $144

-15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 $1,133

$2,526 $2,526

-55.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 $899

$1,578 $1,578

-43.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$4,738 $4,738

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$2,693 $2,693

-41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 $2,669

$4,190 $4,190

-36.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,358 $2,358

$2,768 $2,768

-14.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,013 $5,013

$4,931 $4,931

1.67%

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 Bellevue, NE: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellevue, NE

$899 40%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 75.4% $679

Groceries & Markets

Bellevue, NE

$380 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 17.7% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellevue, NE

$342 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 4.9% $17

Eating Out

Bellevue, NE

$330 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Bellevue, NE

$147 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 11.2% $17

Getting Around

Bellevue, NE

$78 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 20.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Bellevue, NE

$72 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 16% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,133 in Bellevue, NE 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 $75 in Bellevue, NE versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $447 – making Bellevue, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellevue, NE

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:47 7:47 PM

Same time as Bellevue, NE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

151,854

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bellevue, NE Chicago, IL 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bellevue, NE
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

Bellevue, NE vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,249 in Bellevue, NE, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Bellevue, NE comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,374 per month in Bellevue, NE 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 Bellevue, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,133 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Bellevue, NE 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 $2,249 in Bellevue, NE and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Bellevue, NE about 26% cheaper.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Bellevue, NE, where all-in costs run around $2,249, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Bellevue, NE it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Bellevue, NE is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 26% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.