Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Carbondale, IL: $1,759 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Carbondale, IL
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Carbondale, IL Living Index
152

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

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Carbondale, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,759

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,759 in Carbondale, IL versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Carbondale, IL $1,759
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Carbondale, IL versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Carbondale, IL $2,131
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Carbondale, IL versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Carbondale, IL $2,503
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Carbondale, IL costs roughly 44% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Carbondale, IL 30% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 $17.85

$20.65 $20.65

-13.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.28 $38.28

$90.2 $90.2

-57.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$12.94 $12.94

-29.21%

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$5.60 $5.60

-8.57%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$2.64 $2.64

-13.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.27 $2.27

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.98 $6.98

-34.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$8.83 $8.83

-7.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 $1.27

-27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.80 $3.80

-18.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.30 $5.30

-22.26%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$4.76 $4.76

-22.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$13.96 $13.96

-4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 $11.47

$14.61 $14.61

-21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.80 $18.80

$18.77 $18.77

0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.19 $5.19

7.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.98 $1.98

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.93 $3.93

50.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.96 $4.96

-1.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.76 $2.76

-41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.76 $2.76

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.98 $2.98

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.04 $9.04

$14.02 $14.02

-35.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.13 $13.13

$15.28 $15.28

-14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.58 $2.58

-34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.50 $3.50

-54.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.34 $3.34

-39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.43 $1.43

-2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.64 $19.64

$24.32 $24.32

-19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.40%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

4.66%

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

$185 $185

$193 $193

-3.83%

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

$85.5 $85.5

$68.3 $68.3

25.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.6 $75.6

$61.3 $61.3

23.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$17.74 $17.74

-32.81%

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

$1,702 $1,702

$1,652 $1,652

3.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-21.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.99 $46.99

$66.1 $66.1

-28.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.23 $33.23

$51.2 $51.2

-35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 $83.1

$100 $100

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$141 $141

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 $656

$2,446 $2,446

-73.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 $554

$1,678 $1,678

-66.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 $994

$4,105 $4,105

-75.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,003 $1,003

$2,650 $2,650

-62.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,801 $3,801

$4,866 $4,866

-21.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.81

-3.08%

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

Last update for Carbondale, IL: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Carbondale, IL

$554 31.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 203% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Carbondale, IL

$396 22.5%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.4% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Carbondale, IL

$346 19.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 7% $24

Eating Out

Carbondale, IL

$288 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 19.2% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Carbondale, IL

$141 8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 14.3% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Carbondale, IL

$24 * 1.4%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 276% $66

Getting Around

Carbondale, IL

$9 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 959% $86

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $656 in Carbondale, IL and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Carbondale, IL vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $449 per month, with Carbondale, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Carbondale, IL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

Same time as Carbondale, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,881

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Carbondale, IL Chicago, IL 480 km

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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

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

Carbondale, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Carbondale, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Chicago, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $656 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,759 per month in Carbondale, IL versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,759 in Carbondale, IL versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carbondale, IL but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Carbondale, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Carbondale, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,759 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Carbondale, IL hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Carbondale, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.