Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index
152

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

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Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,518

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,518 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Boulder, CO $3,518
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,103 per month in Boulder, CO vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Boulder, CO $5,103
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,689 per month in Boulder, CO vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Boulder, CO $6,689
Chicago, IL $6,115

Boulder, CO costs about 12% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Boulder, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Boulder, CO by 160%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$20.65 $20.65

-4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$90.2 $90.2

-12.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$12.94 $12.94

16.46%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$5.60 $5.60

-0.71%

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

$3.70 $3.70

$2.64 $2.64

40.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.27 $2.27

26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.98 $6.98

1.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.83 $8.83

0.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.27 $1.27

-7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$5.55 $5.55

$3.80 $3.80

46.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$5.30 $5.30

22.64%

Eggs

$5.53 $5.53

$4.76 $4.76

16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 $11.85

$13.96 $13.96

-15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$14.61 $14.61

-25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$18.77 $18.77

-7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$5.19 $5.19

14.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$3.93 $3.93

61.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.96 $4.96

22.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.76 $2.76

42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.76 $2.76

39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.22 $2.22

50.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.98 $2.98

-11.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 $10.24

$14.02 $14.02

-26.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.23 $17.23

$15.28 $15.28

12.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.58 $2.58

-27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.50 $3.50

41.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.47 $2.47

14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$74.8 $74.8

103.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.34 $3.34

-27.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.43 $1.43

-3.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.21 $24.21

$24.32 $24.32

-0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.26 $1.26

-14.29%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.52%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

3.14%

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

$279 $279

$193 $193

44.80%

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

$72.1 $72.1

$68.3 $68.3

5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.2 $74.2

$61.3 $61.3

20.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 $83.1

$54.1 $54.1

53.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$27.92 $27.92

-27.61%

Cinema Ticket

$16.72 $16.72

$17.74 $17.74

-5.75%

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

$1,633 $1,633

$1,652 $1,652

-1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.2K $31.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 $69.2

$66.1 $66.1

4.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.21 $48.21

$51.2 $51.2

-5.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$100 $100

-7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$141 $141

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$2,446 $2,446

-2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 $1,825

$1,678 $1,678

8.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,307 $4,307

$4,717 $4,717

-8.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 $3,069

$2,795 $2,795

9.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,420 $4,420

$4,105 $4,105

7.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,495 $4,495

$2,650 $2,650

69.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,629 $5,629

$4,866 $4,866

15.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.81

-3.82%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boulder, CO

$1.8K 51.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 8% $147

Groceries & Markets

Boulder, CO

$470 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 4.4% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boulder, CO

$425 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 24.2% $103

Eating Out

Boulder, CO

$350 10%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 1.8% $6.5

Getting Around

Boulder, CO

$173 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 44.9% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Boulder, CO

$159 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 1.5% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Boulder, CO

$117 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 23.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,374 in Boulder, CO versus $2,446 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 Boulder, CO, 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 $79.0 in Boulder, CO versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $470 in Boulder, CO vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

19:23 7:23 PM

20:23 8:23 PM

1 h ahead of Boulder, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,803

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Boulder, CO Chicago, IL 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Boulder, CO
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

Boulder, CO vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,277 per month in Boulder, CO and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Boulder, CO and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,518 in Boulder, CO and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chicago, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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