Cost of Living Comparison Between Chapel Hill, NC and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Chapel Hill, NC and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Chapel Hill, NC is 22.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 14.9% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chapel Hill, NC is 23.5% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 15.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 $15.26

$20.82 $20.82

-26.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$100 $100

-19.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$11.97 $11.97

-16.71%

Cappuccino

$4.31 $4.31

$5.56 $5.56

-22.48%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$3.11 $3.11

-18.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.42 $2.42

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.86 $6.86

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$8.45 $8.45

-15.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.04 $1.04

-14.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$4.15 $4.15

-0.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$5.52 $5.52

-21.01%

Eggs

$4.62 $4.62

$4.65 $4.65

-0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$14.33 $14.33

19.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$14.88 $14.88

-3.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 $11.96

$19.34 $19.34

-38.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$5.17 $5.17

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.71 $1.71

-8.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$4.41 $4.41

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.51 $4.51

-13.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.53 $2.53

7.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.74 $2.74

4.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.43 $2.43

-28.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.7 $2.7

-38.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 $7.08

$15.19 $15.19

-53.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$16.42 $16.42

-17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.35 $2.35

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.7 $3.7

-37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.53 $2.53

-20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 $74.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.34 $3.34

-11.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.42 $1.42

32.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$25.42 $25.42

17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.08 $1.08

-19.44%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$32.4K $32.4K

-12.43%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

-6.21%

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

$138 $138

$188 $188

-26.79%

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

$55.8 $55.8

$63.7 $63.7

-12.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$65.2 $65.2

10.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.32 $42.32

$76.7 $76.7

-44.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 $10.02

$14.93 $14.93

-32.89%

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

$1,346 $1,346

$2,063 $2,063

-34.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$39.2K $39.2K

-37.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 $49.96

$64.3 $64.3

-22.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 $30.14

$52.4 $52.4

-42.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$95.2 $95.2

-9.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 $83.2

$145 $145

-42.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 $1,317

$2,378 $2,378

-44.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 $1,501

$1,584 $1,584

-5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,475 $3,475

$4,763 $4,763

-27.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,618 $2,618

$2,815 $2,815

-6.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,736 $2,736

$3,588 $3,588

-23.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,686 $2,686

$2,490 $2,490

7.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,903 $4,903

$5,275 $5,275

-7.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.6

-0.91%

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

Last update for Chapel Hill, NC: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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