Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Boise, ID: $2,610 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Boise, ID
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Boise, ID Living Index
153

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

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Boise, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,610

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,610 per month in Boise, ID vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Boise, ID $2,610
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,672 per month in Boise, ID vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Boise, ID $3,672
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,735 per month in Boise, ID vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Boise, ID $4,735
Chicago, IL $6,077

Boise, ID is about 18% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Boise, ID and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Boise, ID by 93%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$21.58 $21.58

-8.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$88.7 $88.7

-19.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 $13.07

$13.20 $13.20

-0.98%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$5.59 $5.59

8.77%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$2.63 $2.63

3.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.26 $2.26

-12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$7.11 $7.11

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 $6.59

$9.23 $9.23

-28.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.28 $1.28

-23.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.84 $3.84

-2.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$5.07 $5.07

20.71%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$4.84 $4.84

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.09 $16.09

$14.17 $14.17

13.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$14.61 $14.61

-23.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 $17.27

$18.76 $18.76

-7.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.19 $5.19

-4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.00 $2.00

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.00 $4.00

0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$4.98 $4.98

-3.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.79 $2.79

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.65 $2.65

-2.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.13 $2.13

8.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.09 $3.09

-21.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 $9.10

$16.05 $16.05

-43.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 $15.82

$15.20 $15.20

4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.62 $2.62

-18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.46 $3.46

-3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.47 $2.47

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.35 $41.35

$75.1 $75.1

-44.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.21 $3.21

-19.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.39 $1.39

5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.87 $23.87

$25.02 $25.02

-4.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.24 $1.24

-6.45%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.57%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.8K $25.8K

-3.04%

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

$176 $176

$192 $192

-8.39%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$67.8 $67.8

-17.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$60.9 $60.9

23.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.55 $39.55

$53.6 $53.6

-26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 $37.29

$27.90 $27.90

33.66%

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 $12.60

$17.80 $17.80

-29.21%

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

$959 $959

$1,554 $1,554

-38.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$31.4K $31.4K

-23.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$67.9 $67.9

-21.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.26 $41.26

$50.8 $50.8

-18.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$101 $101

-11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$143 $143

-23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$2,383 $2,383

-32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$1,712 $1,712

-24.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$4,674 $4,674

-46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 $1,800

$2,738 $2,738

-34.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,339 $7,339

$4,158 $4,158

76.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,126 $3,126

$2,691 $2,691

16.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,233 $4,233

$4,894 $4,894

-13.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.77

-1.33%

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

Last update for Boise, ID: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boise, ID

$1.3K 49.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 32.8% $423

Groceries & Markets

Boise, ID

$422 16.2%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 7% $30

Eating Out

Boise, ID

$337 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 4.8% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boise, ID

$307 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Boise, ID

$133 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 23.3% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Boise, ID

$65 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 37.7% $24

Getting Around

Boise, ID

$57 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 65.8% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,613 in Boise, ID versus $2,383 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 16% 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 $71.0 in Boise, ID versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $451 – making Boise, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boise, ID

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

13:24 1:24 PM

14:24 2:24 PM

1 h ahead of Boise, ID

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

235,684

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

Boise, ID Chicago, IL 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Boise, ID
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

Boise, ID vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Boise, ID, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,914 per month in Boise, ID and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boise, ID, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $959 per month in Boise, ID and $1,554 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,610 in Boise, ID and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boise, ID costs $2,610 versus $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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