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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,882 in Cary, NC versus $3,117 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,186 in Cary, NC versus $4,695 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,490 in Cary, NC versus $6,273 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Cary, NC costs roughly 8% less than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 111% above, Chicago, IL 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.58 $19.58

$19.92 $19.92

-1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.6 $99.6

$88.5 $88.5

12.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 $10.59

$12.94 $12.94

-18.16%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$5.54 $5.54

-7.76%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.74 $2.74

-25.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.36 $2.36

-18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 $4.39

$7.12 $7.12

-38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.36 $6.36

$8.73 $8.73

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.34 $1.34

-25.37%

White Bread (500g)

$5.69 $5.69

$4.17 $4.17

36.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.73 $5.73

5.41%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$4.89 $4.89

-14.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.15 $18.15

$14.77 $14.77

22.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$14.85 $14.85

13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.85 $17.85

$19.61 $19.61

-8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 $6.20

$5.57 $5.57

11.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.92 $1.92

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$4.17 $4.17

-10.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.86 $4.86

39.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.84 $2.84

13.38%

Onion (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.80 $2.80

48.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.20 $2.20

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.06 $3.06

-18.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.08 $10.08

$16.16 $16.16

-37.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.26 $10.26

$14.82 $14.82

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.53 $2.53

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.35 $3.35

16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.55 $2.55

-0.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 $80.0

$75.6 $75.6

5.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.12 $25.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.17 $1.17

-30.77%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$26.2K $26.2K

7.87%

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

$183 $183

$191 $191

-4.23%

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

$46.87 $46.87

$67.9 $67.9

-30.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$61.7 $61.7

11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$63.5 $63.5

19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 $21.67

$27.14 $27.14

-20.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$18.02 $18.02

-16.15%

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

$1,474 $1,474

$1,522 $1,522

-3.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 $65.7

$63.7 $63.7

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 $33.08

$55.3 $55.3

-40.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$100 $100

15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$153 $153

-9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 $1,881

$2,406 $2,406

-21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$1,653 $1,653

-16.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,689 $2,689

$4,577 $4,577

-41.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 $2,171

$2,771 $2,771

-21.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,896 $2,896

$4,031 $4,031

-28.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,676 $2,676

$2,745 $2,745

-2.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,860 $5,860

$4,804 $4,804

21.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

6.38

-3.92%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,881 in Cary, NC and $2,406 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Cary, NC vs $88.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $464 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

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

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

Cary, NC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Cary, NC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,881 in Cary, NC versus $2,406 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,474 in Cary, NC versus $1,522 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Cary, NC is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Cary, NC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cary, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.