Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Brevard, NC: $2,610 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Brevard, NC
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Brevard, NC Living Index
147

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

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Brevard, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,610

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,610 per month in Brevard, NC vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Brevard, NC $2,610
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,864 per month in Brevard, NC vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Brevard, NC $3,864
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,119 per month in Brevard, NC vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Brevard, NC $5,119
Chicago, IL $5,999

Brevard, NC is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Brevard, NC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Brevard, NC by 92%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 $18.11

$20.71 $20.71

-12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$89.2 $89.2

-15.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$13.19 $13.19

-15.01%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$5.66 $5.66

-1.41%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.64 $2.64

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.28 $2.28

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.87 $6.87

-12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 $7.59

$8.84 $8.84

-14.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 $1.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.72 $3.72

12.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$5.39 $5.39

-40.45%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.74 $4.74

-5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 $16.80

$13.84 $13.84

21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 $16.08

$14.40 $14.40

11.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.14 $18.14

$18.38 $18.38

-1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$5.22 $5.22

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.98 $1.98

-25.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.06 $4.06

10.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.97 $4.97

-6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.67 $2.67

37.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.66 $2.66

19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.24 $2.24

-11.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.13 $3.13

-28.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.73 $8.73

$13.82 $13.82

-36.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 $15.65

$14.88 $14.88

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.54 $2.54

-8.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.51 $3.51

3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.43 $2.43

-17.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.6 $51.6

$73.5 $73.5

-29.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.18 $3.18

-3.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.39 $1.39

30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.98 $29.98

$25.03 $25.03

19.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.20 $1.20

-19.17%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-1.27%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.80%

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

$122 $122

$194 $194

-37.06%

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

$68.6 $68.6

$69.5 $69.5

-1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$61.6 $61.6

29.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.20 $42.20

$47.90 $47.90

-11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$16.20 $16.20

$17.81 $17.81

-9.04%

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

$1,455 $1,455

$1,794 $1,794

-18.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-21.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$67.0 $67.0

-23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.64 $36.64

$52.1 $52.1

-29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 $93.9

$102 $102

-7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$144 $144

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 $1,599

$2,526 $2,526

-36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$1,578 $1,578

-18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 $2,485

$4,738 $4,738

-47.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 $2,129

$2,693 $2,693

-20.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$4,190 $4,190

-34.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,344 $2,344

$2,768 $2,768

-15.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,475 $4,475

$4,931 $4,931

-9.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.81

-4.85%

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

Last update for Brevard, NC: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Brevard, NC

$1.3K 49.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 22.4% $289

Groceries & Markets

Brevard, NC

$447 17.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 0% $0.1

Eating Out

Brevard, NC

$311 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 11% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brevard, NC

$271 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 20.3% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Brevard, NC

$146 5.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 12.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Brevard, NC

$75 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 12% $8.9

Getting Around

Brevard, NC

$72 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 30.2% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Brevard, NC versus $2,526 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 10% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $75 in Brevard, NC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $447 – making Brevard, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Brevard, NC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:50 10:50 PM

21:50 9:50 PM

1 h behind Brevard, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,800

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Brevard, NC Chicago, IL 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Brevard, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,610 in Brevard, NC, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Brevard, NC comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,914 per month in Brevard, NC and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brevard, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,599 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,610 in Brevard, NC and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Brevard, NC about 14% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,455 per month in Brevard, NC and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Brevard, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,610, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Brevard, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brevard, NC – 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 Brevard, NC. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.