Cost of Living Comparison Between Bowling Green, KY and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Bowling Green, KY and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Bowling Green, KY is 29.6% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 31.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Bowling Green, KY is 40.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 32.9% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.4 $11.4

$20.82 $20.82

-45.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 $54.3

$100 $100

-45.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 $9.99

$11.97 $11.97

-16.54%

Cappuccino

$4.8 $4.8

$5.56 $5.56

-13.67%

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

$2.3 $2.3

$3.11 $3.11

-26.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.42 $2.42

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$6.86 $6.86

-40.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$8.45 $8.45

-28.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.04 $1.04

-36.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$4.15 $4.15

-45.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$5.52 $5.52

-59.06%

Eggs

$2.85 $2.85

$4.65 $4.65

-38.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$14.33 $14.33

-29.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$14.88 $14.88

-39.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$19.34 $19.34

-24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$5.17 $5.17

-10.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.71 $1.71

-27.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$4.41 $4.41

-54.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.51 $4.51

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.53 $2.53

28.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.74 $2.74

21.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.43 $2.43

-21.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.7 $2.7

-35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$15.19 $15.19

-47.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 $10.59

$16.42 $16.42

-35.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.35 $2.35

-27.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.8 $1.8

$3.7 $3.7

-51.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.53 $2.53

41.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.07 $40.07

$74.1 $74.1

-45.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.34 $3.34

49.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.42 $1.42

-14.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.44 $25.44

$25.42 $25.42

0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.08 $1.08

-26.85%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$32.4K $32.4K

-28.88%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.02%

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

$162 $162

$188 $188

-13.93%

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

$42.24 $42.24

$63.7 $63.7

-33.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$65.2 $65.2

-0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.37 $30.37

$76.7 $76.7

-60.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 $12.06

$13.03 $13.03

-7.44%

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$14.93 $14.93

-1.00%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$2,063 $2,063

-44.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$39.2K $39.2K

-37.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 $54.8

$64.3 $64.3

-14.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 $35.69

$52.4 $52.4

-31.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 $74.5

$95.2 $95.2

-21.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 $74.7

$145 $145

-48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 $1,156

$2,378 $2,378

-51.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 $999

$1,584 $1,584

-36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 $1,853

$4,763 $4,763

-61.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 $1,866

$2,815 $2,815

-33.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,011 $2,011

$3,588 $3,588

-43.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 $1,965

$2,490 $2,490

-21.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,869 $2,869

$5,275 $5,275

-45.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.6

-1.06%

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

Last update for Bowling Green, KY: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

Similar cities

Lisbon

🇵🇹 Portugal

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

Rome

🇮🇹 Italy

Taipei

🇹🇼 Taiwan

Riga

🇱🇻 Latvia

Thessaloniki

🇬🇷 Greece

Ljubljana

🇸🇮 Slovenia