Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Billings, MT: $2,349 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Billings, MT
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Billings, MT Living Index
147

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

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Billings, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,349

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,349 per month in Billings, MT vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Billings, MT $2,349
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,546 per month in Billings, MT vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Billings, MT $3,546
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,743 per month in Billings, MT vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Billings, MT $4,743
Chicago, IL $5,999

Billings, MT is about 23% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Billings, MT and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Billings, MT by 73%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.68 $25.68

$20.71 $20.71

24.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$89.2 $89.2

-14.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.63 $13.63

$13.19 $13.19

3.34%

Cappuccino

$6.44 $6.44

$5.66 $5.66

13.78%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$2.64 $2.64

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.28 $2.28

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.14 $4.14

$6.87 $6.87

-39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 $4.91

$8.84 $8.84

-44.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.25 $1.25

-19.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.72 $3.72

-5.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$5.39 $5.39

-39.33%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$4.74 $4.74

-34.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$13.84 $13.84

-11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$14.40 $14.40

-19.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$18.38 $18.38

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.22 $5.22

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.98 $1.98

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.06 $4.06

-29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$4.97 $4.97

-6.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.67 $2.67

-58.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.66 $2.66

-24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.24 $2.24

6.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.13 $3.13

-52.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.59 $9.59

$13.82 $13.82

-30.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 $10.91

$14.88 $14.88

-26.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.54 $2.54

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.51 $3.51

48.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.43 $2.43

-19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.95 $27.95

$73.5 $73.5

-61.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.18 $3.18

-22.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.6 $59.6

$25.03 $25.03

138.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.16%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-10.56%

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

$171 $171

$194 $194

-12.24%

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

$49.63 $49.63

$69.5 $69.5

-28.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 $83.1

$61.6 $61.6

34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.40 $41.40

$47.90 $47.90

-13.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.25 $15.25

$27.34 $27.34

-44.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$17.81 $17.81

-22.01%

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

$1,074 $1,074

$1,794 $1,794

-40.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-39.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 $61.1

$67.0 $67.0

-8.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.3 $66.3

$52.1 $52.1

27.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$102 $102

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$144 $144

-15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 $1,183

$2,526 $2,526

-53.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 $1,049

$1,578 $1,578

-33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$4,738 $4,738

-60.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$2,693 $2,693

-31.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,472 $2,472

$4,190 $4,190

-41.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,073 $2,073

$2,768 $2,768

-25.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,926 $3,926

$4,931 $4,931

-20.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.81

-6.02%

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

Last update for Billings, MT: 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

Billings, MT

$1K 44.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 50.4% $529

Eating Out

Billings, MT

$370 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 6.8% $25

Groceries & Markets

Billings, MT

$357 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 25.3% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Billings, MT

$303 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 7.3% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Billings, MT

$156 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 5.4% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Billings, MT

$69 3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.7% $14

Getting Around

Billings, MT

$45 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 107% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,183 in Billings, MT 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.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Billings, MT versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $447 – making Billings, MT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Billings, MT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

04:20 4:20 AM

1 h ahead of Billings, MT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,116

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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Between locations

Billings, MT Chicago, IL 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Billings, MT
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

Billings, MT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 29% more than Billings, MT, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,524 per month in Billings, MT 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 Billings, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,183 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Billings, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,074 per month in Billings, MT and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,349 in Billings, MT and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Billings, MT. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.