Cost of Living Comparison Between Bend, OR and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Bend, OR and Chicago, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,303 in Bend, OR versus $3,184 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,639 in Bend, OR versus $4,725 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,975 in Bend, OR versus $6,266 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Bend, OR is roughly 4% more expensive than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bend, OR 140% above, Chicago, IL 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.47 $21.47

$20.26 $20.26

5.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$88.8 $88.8

-8.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 $10.35

$13.16 $13.16

-21.35%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$5.77 $5.77

-1.56%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$2.63 $2.63

-5.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.34 $2.34

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.51 $6.51

$7.06 $7.06

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$9.18 $9.18

-15.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.30 $1.30

-9.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.05 $4.05

-10.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$5.69 $5.69

-37.96%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$4.85 $4.85

-27.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.26 $19.26

$15.08 $15.08

27.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$14.87 $14.87

-26.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.64 $25.64

$19.28 $19.28

32.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.68 $5.68

20.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.93 $1.93

-13.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$4.10 $4.10

57.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$5.11 $5.11

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.92 $2.92

-36.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.77 $2.77

23.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.30 $2.30

18.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.04 $3.04

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.09 $11.09

$15.93 $15.93

-30.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.32 $16.32

$15.06 $15.06

8.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.53 $2.53

-31.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.48 $3.48

54.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.53 $2.53

-19.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 $45.85

$74.8 $74.8

-38.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.28 $3.28

19.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.36 $1.36

86.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.59 $44.59

$22.55 $22.55

97.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.22 $1.22

3.28%

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

$33.9K $33.9K

$36.1K $36.1K

-6.04%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

-10.91%

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

$197 $197

$188 $188

4.41%

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

$82.0 $82.0

$69.0 $69.0

18.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.7 $83.7

$63.6 $63.6

31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 $50.7

$63.4 $63.4

-20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.08 $40.08

$27.11 $27.11

47.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.59 $14.59

$17.90 $17.90

-18.49%

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

$1,143 $1,143

$1,526 $1,526

-25.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 $63.1

$62.1 $62.1

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 $73.6

$56.4 $56.4

30.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 $91.0

$101 $101

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$156 $156

-21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 $2,260

$2,342 $2,342

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

$1,698 $1,698

7.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,398 $3,398

$4,576 $4,576

-25.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,685 $2,685

$2,806 $2,806

-4.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,110 $7,110

$4,130 $4,130

72.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,953 $3,953

$2,740 $2,740

44.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,793 $4,793

$4,891 $4,891

-1.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.38

-4.39%

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

Last update for Bend, OR: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,260 in Bend, OR and $2,342 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Bend, OR vs $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $478 vs $465, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bend, OR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bend, OR and Chicago, IL differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($3,303 vs $3,184 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $2,260 in Bend, OR versus $2,342 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 63% less than in Bend, OR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,143 in Bend, OR versus $1,526 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bend, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.