Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Birmingham, AL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Birmingham, AL: $2,627 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Birmingham, AL
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Birmingham, AL Living Index
147

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

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Birmingham, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,627

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,627 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Birmingham, AL $2,627
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,899 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Birmingham, AL $3,899
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,172 per month in Birmingham, AL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Birmingham, AL $5,172
Chicago, IL $5,999

Birmingham, AL is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Birmingham, AL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Birmingham, AL by 93%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.75 $17.75

$20.71 $20.71

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 $69.7

$89.2 $89.2

-21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 $8.86

$13.19 $13.19

-32.83%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$5.66 $5.66

0.18%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.64 $2.64

0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$6.87 $6.87

-25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 $5.92

$8.84 $8.84

-33.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.25 $1.25

-13.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.72 $3.72

-16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$5.39 $5.39

-10.58%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$4.74 $4.74

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 $9.30

$13.84 $13.84

-32.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 $11.16

$14.40 $14.40

-22.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$18.38 $18.38

-10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$5.22 $5.22

22.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.98 $1.98

-30.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.88 $7.88

$4.06 $4.06

94.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$4.97 $4.97

12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.67 $2.67

55.81%

Onion (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.66 $2.66

102.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.24 $2.24

27.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.13 $3.13

-10.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.55 $8.55

$13.82 $13.82

-38.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.88 $14.88

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.54 $2.54

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.43 $2.43

-37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.9 $78.9

$73.5 $73.5

7.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.18 $3.18

-7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.39 $1.39

11.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$25.03 $25.03

20.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-24.11%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.56%

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

$274 $274

$194 $194

41.18%

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

$75.7 $75.7

$69.5 $69.5

8.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$61.6 $61.6

17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.90 $47.90

13.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 $20.24

$27.34 $27.34

-25.97%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 $16.04

$17.81 $17.81

-9.94%

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

$1,324 $1,324

$1,794 $1,794

-26.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K $17.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-44.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$67.0 $67.0

-11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.91 $38.91

$52.1 $52.1

-25.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$102 $102

7.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$144 $144

-5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$2,526 $2,526

-37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 $1,146

$1,578 $1,578

-27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,560 $2,560

$4,738 $4,738

-45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,017 $2,017

$2,693 $2,693

-25.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$4,190 $4,190

-36.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 $1,820

$2,768 $2,768

-34.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 $3,246

$4,931 $4,931

-34.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.81

-1.76%

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

Last update for Birmingham, AL: 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

Birmingham, AL

$1.1K 43.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 37.7% $432

Groceries & Markets

Birmingham, AL

$428 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4.5% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Birmingham, AL

$422 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 22.9% $97

Eating Out

Birmingham, AL

$294 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 17.4% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Birmingham, AL

$155 5.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 6.1% $9.4

Getting Around

Birmingham, AL

$96 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 2.4% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Birmingham, AL

$86 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 3.3% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,582 in Birmingham, AL 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 52% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Birmingham, AL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $428 vs $447 – making Birmingham, AL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Birmingham, AL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Birmingham, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,733

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

Birmingham, AL Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Birmingham, AL
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

Birmingham, AL vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,627 in Birmingham, AL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Birmingham, AL comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,940 per month in Birmingham, AL 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 Birmingham, AL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,582 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,627 in Birmingham, AL and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Birmingham, AL about 13% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Birmingham, AL, where all-in costs run around $2,627, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Birmingham, AL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,627 in Birmingham, AL to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Birmingham, AL. 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.