Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boone, NC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Boone, NC: $1,898 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in Boone, NC
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Boone, NC Living Index
152

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

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Boone, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$1,898

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,898 in Boone, NC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Boone, NC $1,898
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,637 in Boone, NC versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Boone, NC $2,637
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,376 in Boone, NC versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Boone, NC $3,376
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Boone, NC costs roughly 40% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boone, NC 40% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 $11.89

$20.65 $20.65

-42.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 $69.4

$90.2 $90.2

-23.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 $9.65

$12.94 $12.94

-25.43%

Cappuccino

$4.69 $4.69

$5.60 $5.60

-16.25%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$2.64 $2.64

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.27 $2.27

-26.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.41 $5.41

$6.98 $6.98

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.83 $8.83

-19.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.27 $1.27

-32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.80 $3.80

-1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$5.30 $5.30

-40.38%

Eggs

$2.54 $2.54

$4.76 $4.76

-46.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.96 $13.96

-5.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$14.61 $14.61

-38.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$18.77 $18.77

-63.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$5.19 $5.19

-23.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.93 $3.93

3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.96 $4.96

-16.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.76 $2.76

-14.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.76 $2.76

17.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.22 $2.22

-23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.98 $2.98

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$14.02 $14.02

-44.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 $12.86

$15.28 $15.28

-15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.58 $2.58

-37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.50 $3.50

-22.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.34 $3.34

-40.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.43 $1.43

62.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 $18.28

$24.32 $24.32

-24.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.26 $1.26

-34.13%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-24.64%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.45%

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

$80.3 $80.3

$193 $193

-58.32%

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

$43.54 $43.54

$68.3 $68.3

-36.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 $56.1

$61.3 $61.3

-8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.4 $70.4

$54.1 $54.1

30.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 $50.1

$27.92 $27.92

79.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$17.74 $17.74

-33.26%

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

$760 $760

$1,652 $1,652

-54.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-19.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$66.1 $66.1

-21.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 $36.88

$51.2 $51.2

-28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 $70.0

$100 $100

-30.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$141 $141

-15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 $1,108

$2,446 $2,446

-54.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 $918

$1,678 $1,678

-45.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 $1,488

$4,717 $4,717

-68.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 $1,045

$2,795 $2,795

-62.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,832 $3,832

$4,105 $4,105

-6.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,819 $3,819

$2,650 $2,650

44.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,966 $3,966

$4,866 $4,866

-18.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.81

-10.43%

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

Last update for Boone, NC: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boone, NC

$918 48.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 82.8% $760

Groceries & Markets

Boone, NC

$330 17.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 36.2% $119

Eating Out

Boone, NC

$237 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 44.9% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boone, NC

$180 9.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 79.1% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Boone, NC

$125 6.6%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 29.2% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Boone, NC

$94 5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 4.8% $4.5

Getting Around

Boone, NC

$14 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 601% $82

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 $1,108 in Boone, NC and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 23% 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: $69.0 in Boone, NC vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $449 per month, with Boone, NC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boone, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:43 7:43 AM

06:43 6:43 AM

1 h behind Boone, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,562

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

Boone, NC Chicago, IL 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Boone, NC
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

Boone, NC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boone, NC and Chicago, IL differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,898 vs $3,139 including rent). Boone, NC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $1,108 in Boone, NC versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,898 per month in Boone, NC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,898 in Boone, NC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Boone, NC but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Boone, NC 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 Boone, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.