Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bismarck, ND and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bismarck, ND: $2,339 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Bismarck, ND
Learn more

Bismarck, ND Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Bismarck, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,339

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,339 in Bismarck, ND versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Bismarck, ND $2,339
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,375 in Bismarck, ND versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Bismarck, ND $3,375
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Bismarck, ND versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Bismarck, ND $4,411
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Bismarck, ND costs roughly 23% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bismarck, ND 72% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.30 $30.30

$20.71 $20.71

46.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$89.2 $89.2

-22.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.63 $17.63

$13.19 $13.19

33.66%

Cappuccino

$6.23 $6.23

$5.66 $5.66

10.07%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$2.64 $2.64

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.28 $2.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.87 $6.87

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$8.84 $8.84

-20.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.72 $3.72

-28.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$5.39 $5.39

-61.04%

Eggs

$2.64 $2.64

$4.74 $4.74

-44.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 $7.89

$13.84 $13.84

-42.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$14.40 $14.40

-7.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 $15.89

$18.38 $18.38

-13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$5.22 $5.22

-35.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.98 $1.98

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$4.06 $4.06

-26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.97 $4.97

-12.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.67 $2.67

-29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.13 $3.13

-11.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$13.82 $13.82

-36.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 $20.33

$14.88 $14.88

36.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.54 $2.54

-27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.51 $3.51

12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.43 $2.43

-39.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 $35.83

$73.5 $73.5

-51.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.20 $1.20

-25.00%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.35%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-14.98%

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

$207 $207

$194 $194

6.60%

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

$72.0 $72.0

$69.5 $69.5

3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.5 $82.5

$61.6 $61.6

33.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 $33.48

$47.90 $47.90

-30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 $12.17

$17.81 $17.81

-31.67%

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

$797 $797

$1,794 $1,794

-55.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 $65.5

$67.0 $67.0

-2.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$102 $102

-4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 $79.4

$144 $144

-44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,015 $1,015

$2,526 $2,526

-59.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 $974

$1,578 $1,578

-38.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,504 $1,504

$4,738 $4,738

-68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 $1,485

$2,693 $2,693

-44.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 $2,358

$4,190 $4,190

-43.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,992 $1,992

$2,768 $2,768

-28.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,412 $4,412

$4,931 $4,931

-10.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.81

0.44%

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

Last update for Bismarck, ND: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bismarck, ND

$974 41.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 62.1% $604

Eating Out

Bismarck, ND

$429 18.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 19.7% $84

Groceries & Markets

Bismarck, ND

$366 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 22.3% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bismarck, ND

$362 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 10% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Bismarck, ND

$109 * 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 50.9% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Bismarck, ND

$58 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 44.5% $26

Getting Around

Bismarck, ND

$42 * 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 124% $52

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 $1,015 in Bismarck, ND and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69 in Bismarck, ND vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $447 per month, with Bismarck, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bismarck, ND

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

01:51 1:51 AM

Same time as Bismarck, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,333

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bismarck, ND Chicago, IL 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Bismarck, ND
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

Bismarck, ND vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,339 in Bismarck, ND and $3,037 in Chicago, IL, so Bismarck, ND is about 23% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Bismarck, ND. 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: $1,015 in Bismarck, ND versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bismarck, ND – a meal for two runs $69 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,339 in Bismarck, ND versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bismarck, ND but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Bismarck, ND the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Bismarck, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.