Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,721 in Breckenridge, CO, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Breckenridge, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

181

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

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

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Breckenridge, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,721

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,721 per month in Breckenridge, CO vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Breckenridge, CO $3,721
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,217 per month in Breckenridge, CO vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Breckenridge, CO $5,217
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Breckenridge, CO vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Breckenridge, CO $6,712
Chicago, IL $6,115

Breckenridge, CO costs about 19% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Breckenridge, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Breckenridge, CO by 175%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.68 $16.68

$20.65 $20.65

-19.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 $79.0

$90.2 $90.2

-12.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$12.94 $12.94

-15.22%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$5.60 $5.60

7.68%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$2.64 $2.64

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.27 $2.27

-8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$6.98 $6.98

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$8.83 $8.83

-18.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.27 $1.27

-18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.80 $3.80

-24.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$5.30 $5.30

-48.30%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.76 $4.76

-12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 $11.04

$13.96 $13.96

-20.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 $9.37

$14.61 $14.61

-35.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 $15.63

$18.77 $18.77

-16.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.19 $5.19

-5.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.93 $3.93

15.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.96 $4.96

0.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.76 $2.76

28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.76 $2.76

-38.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.22 $2.22

-7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.98 $2.98

-41.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$14.02 $14.02

-26.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.67 $16.67

$15.28 $15.28

9.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.58 $2.58

-0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.50 $3.50

-23.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.34 $3.34

-26.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.43 $1.43

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$24.32 $24.32

4.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-27.22%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.61%

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

$207 $207

$193 $193

7.31%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$68.3 $68.3

-16.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$61.3 $61.3

11.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 $69.8

$54.1 $54.1

28.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.21 $28.21

$27.92 $27.92

1.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.97 $11.97

$17.74 $17.74

-32.53%

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

$1,305 $1,305

$1,652 $1,652

-20.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-59.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 $58.9

$66.1 $66.1

-10.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.22 $30.22

$51.2 $51.2

-41.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$100 $100

-21.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$141 $141

-15.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,928 $2,928

$2,446 $2,446

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 $2,485

$1,678 $1,678

48.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,803 $5,803

$4,717 $4,717

23.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,961 $3,961

$2,795 $2,795

41.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,290 $8,290

$4,105 $4,105

101.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,264 $8,264

$2,650 $2,650

211.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,272 $6,272

$4,866 $4,866

28.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.81

-0.59%

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

Last update for Breckenridge, CO: 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

Breckenridge, CO

$2.5K 66.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 32.5% $807

Groceries & Markets

Breckenridge, CO

$365 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 23.3% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Breckenridge, CO

$332 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 3% $9.8

Eating Out

Breckenridge, CO

$305 8.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 12.5% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Breckenridge, CO

$129 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 25% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Breckenridge, CO

$94 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 4.4% $4.1

Getting Around

Breckenridge, CO

$12 * 0.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 723% $84

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,928 in Breckenridge, 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 29% higher in Breckenridge, 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 Breckenridge, CO versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $449 – making Breckenridge, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Breckenridge, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:40 5:40 AM

06:40 6:40 AM

1 h ahead of Breckenridge, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,000

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

Breckenridge, CO Chicago, IL 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Breckenridge, 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

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

Yes – Breckenridge, CO is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,582 per month in Breckenridge, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,721 in Breckenridge, CO and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 19%.

Kindergarten costs $1,305 per month in Breckenridge, CO and $1,652 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,721 in Breckenridge, 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.

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