Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belton, SC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Belton, SC: $2,588 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Belton, SC
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Belton, SC Living Index
152

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

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Belton, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,588

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,588 in Belton, SC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Belton, SC $2,588
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,774 in Belton, SC versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Belton, SC $3,774
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,961 in Belton, SC versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Belton, SC $4,961
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Belton, SC costs roughly 18% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Belton, SC 91% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.65 $20.65

-1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$90.2 $90.2

-15.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 $11.36

$12.94 $12.94

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$5.60 $5.60

-3.93%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$2.64 $2.64

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.27 $2.27

-9.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.98 $6.98

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$8.83 $8.83

-18.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.27 $1.27

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.80 $3.80

-6.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$5.30 $5.30

-19.62%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$4.76 $4.76

-13.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.96 $13.96

-12.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$14.61 $14.61

-20.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 $16.96

$18.77 $18.77

-9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.19 $5.19

-4.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.98 $1.98

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.93 $3.93

12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$4.96 $4.96

-6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.76 $2.76

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.76 $2.76

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.22 $2.22

-4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.98 $2.98

-23.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 $10.14

$14.02 $14.02

-27.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.28 $15.28

-3.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.58 $2.58

-20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.50 $3.50

-5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.47 $2.47

-9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.34 $3.34

-11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.43 $1.43

34.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.66 $29.66

$24.32 $24.32

21.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.26 $1.26

-28.57%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-9.71%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

5.59%

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

$196 $196

$193 $193

1.87%

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

$57.9 $57.9

$68.3 $68.3

-15.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$61.3 $61.3

13.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 $41.33

$54.1 $54.1

-23.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 $13.65

$17.74 $17.74

-23.06%

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

$1,282 $1,282

$1,652 $1,652

-22.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-24.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$66.1 $66.1

-18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 $41.60

$51.2 $51.2

-18.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 $89.4

$100 $100

-10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$141 $141

-18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$2,446 $2,446

-35.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$1,678 $1,678

-21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,484 $2,484

$4,717 $4,717

-47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 $2,149

$2,795 $2,795

-23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,996 $2,996

$4,105 $4,105

-27.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,648 $2,648

$2,650 $2,650

-0.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

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 Belton, SC: 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

Belton, SC

$1.3K 50.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27.3% $360

Groceries & Markets

Belton, SC

$397 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.3% $53

Eating Out

Belton, SC

$324 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 5.9% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Belton, SC

$324 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 0.5% $1.7

Clothing & Footwear

Belton, SC

$135 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 19.3% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Belton, SC

$69 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 30.6% $21

Getting Around

Belton, SC

$21 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 343% $74

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 $1,588 in Belton, SC and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Belton, SC vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $449 per month, with Belton, SC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Belton, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:16 9:16 AM

08:16 8:16 AM

1 h behind Belton, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,054

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

Belton, SC Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Belton, SC
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

Belton, SC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belton, SC is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,882 in Belton, SC and $4,708 in Chicago, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,588 in Belton, SC versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,588 per month in Belton, SC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Belton, SC is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Belton, SC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Belton, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.