Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,179 in Centennial, CO, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Centennial, CO
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Centennial, CO Living Index
147

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

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Centennial, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,179

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,179 per month in Centennial, CO vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Centennial, CO $3,179
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,417 per month in Centennial, CO vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Centennial, CO $4,417
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,655 per month in Centennial, CO vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Centennial, CO $5,655
Chicago, IL $5,999

Centennial, CO costs about 5% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Centennial, CO and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Centennial, CO by 134%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$20.71 $20.71

-3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 $85.9

$89.2 $89.2

-3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 $12.96

$13.19 $13.19

-1.74%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.66 $5.66

5.30%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$2.64 $2.64

4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.28 $2.28

-2.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 $6.89

$6.87 $6.87

0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$8.84 $8.84

-9.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.25 $1.25

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.72 $3.72

25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$5.39 $5.39

23.19%

Eggs

$6.04 $6.04

$4.74 $4.74

27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$13.84 $13.84

5.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$14.40 $14.40

-6.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 $19.40

$18.38 $18.38

5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$5.22 $5.22

7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.98 $1.98

10.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.06 $4.06

16.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$4.97 $4.97

4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.67 $2.67

-1.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.24 $2.24

2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$3.13 $3.13

-38.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$13.82 $13.82

-22.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.32 $19.32

$14.88 $14.88

29.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.54 $2.54

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.51 $3.51

0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.43 $2.43

125.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.9 $88.9

$73.5 $73.5

20.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.18 $3.18

17.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.39 $1.39

-0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 $24.86

$25.03 $25.03

-0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.20 $1.20

-16.67%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.43%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.52%

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

$204 $204

$194 $194

4.94%

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

$77.3 $77.3

$69.5 $69.5

11.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$61.6 $61.6

19.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 $61.6

$47.90 $47.90

28.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.84 $19.84

$27.34 $27.34

-27.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$17.81 $17.81

-15.67%

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

$1,542 $1,542

$1,794 $1,794

-14.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-23.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 $60.2

$67.0 $67.0

-10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 $36.78

$52.1 $52.1

-29.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$102 $102

-1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$144 $144

-8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,850 $1,850

$2,526 $2,526

-26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 $1,653

$1,578 $1,578

4.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 $2,801

$4,738 $4,738

-40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$2,693 $2,693

-16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,178 $3,178

$4,190 $4,190

-24.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,893 $2,893

$2,768 $2,768

4.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,397 $6,397

$4,931 $4,931

29.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.81

-1.32%

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

Last update for Centennial, CO: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Centennial, CO

$1.7K 52%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 4.5% $75

Groceries & Markets

Centennial, CO

$469 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 4.5% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Centennial, CO

$355 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.4% $30

Eating Out

Centennial, CO

$341 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 1.2% $4.1

Clothing & Footwear

Centennial, CO

$148 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 10.7% $16

Getting Around

Centennial, CO

$121 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 23.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Centennial, CO

$92 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 8.8% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,850 in Centennial, CO 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 30% higher in Centennial, CO. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Centennial, CO versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $469 in Centennial, CO vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Centennial, CO

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:55 6:55 AM

07:55 7:55 AM

1 h ahead of Centennial, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,741

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Centennial, CO Chicago, IL 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Centennial, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,179 in Centennial, CO, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 4% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,768 per month in Centennial, CO 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 Centennial, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,850 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86 in Centennial, CO and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,179 in Centennial, CO and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Chicago, IL about 4% cheaper.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,179 in Centennial, CO and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,179 in Centennial, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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