Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Chicago, IL

😐 Solo nomad: Boulder, CO is 5.4% more expensive than Chicago, IL without rent, and 11.7% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Boulder, CO is 17.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 1.4% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$20.82 $20.82

-5.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 $69.7

$100 $100

-30.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.2 $11.2

$11.97 $11.97

-6.43%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$5.56 $5.56

6.47%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$3.11 $3.11

3.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.23 $6.23

$6.86 $6.86

-9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.45 $8.45

-16.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.04 $1.04

-4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$4.15 $4.15

-14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.52 $5.52

-19.57%

Eggs

$5.63 $5.63

$4.65 $4.65

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$14.33 $14.33

-8.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.88 $14.88

0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$19.34 $19.34

-9.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.17 $5.17

-11.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.5 $1.5

$1.71 $1.71

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$4.41 $4.41

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.51 $4.51

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.53 $2.53

3.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.7 $2.7

$2.74 $2.74

-1.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.43 $2.43

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.7 $2.7

-18.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$15.19 $15.19

-35.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.07 $17.07

$16.42 $16.42

3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.9 $1.9

$2.35 $2.35

-19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.7 $3.7

3.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.53 $2.53

7.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$74.1 $74.1

104.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.34 $3.34

-26.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.42 $1.42

-4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.18 $24.18

$25.42 $25.42

-4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.08 $1.08

-22.22%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$32.4K $32.4K

-16.95%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-2.79%

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

$195 $195

$188 $188

3.50%

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

$60.5 $60.5

$63.7 $63.7

-5.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 $71.4

$65.2 $65.2

9.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 $80.5

$76.7 $76.7

4.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 $20.25

$13.03 $13.03

55.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 $16.34

$14.93 $14.93

9.44%

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

$1,456 $1,456

$2,063 $2,063

-29.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K $31.2K

$39.2K $39.2K

-20.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 $72.7

$64.3 $64.3

13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.25 $37.25

$52.4 $52.4

-28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 $90.4

$95.2 $95.2

-5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$145 $145

-29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 $2,117

$2,378 $2,378

-10.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 $1,875

$1,584 $1,584

18.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,952 $3,952

$4,763 $4,763

-17.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 $2,814

$2,815 $2,815

-0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,025 $5,025

$3,588 $3,588

40.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,384 $4,384

$2,490 $2,490

76.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,221 $5,221

$5,275 $5,275

-1.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.6

-2.73%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 29, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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