Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheyenne, WY and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Cheyenne, WY: $1,948 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Cheyenne, WY
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Cheyenne, WY Living Index
152

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

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Cheyenne, WY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,948

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,948 per month in Cheyenne, WY vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cheyenne, WY $1,948
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Cheyenne, WY vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cheyenne, WY $3,219
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,489 per month in Cheyenne, WY vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Cheyenne, WY $4,489
Chicago, IL $6,115

Cheyenne, WY is about 38% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cheyenne, WY and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Cheyenne, WY by 44%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.41 $16.41

$20.65 $20.65

-20.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 $51.0

$90.2 $90.2

-43.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 $7.79

$12.94 $12.94

-39.80%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$5.60 $5.60

-10.00%

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

$1.03 $1.03

$2.64 $2.64

-60.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.27 $2.27

-57.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 $4.12

$6.98 $6.98

-40.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$8.83 $8.83

-55.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.27 $1.27

-31.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.80 $3.80

8.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$5.30 $5.30

-65.09%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$4.76 $4.76

-36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$13.96 $13.96

-37.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$14.61 $14.61

-55.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 $13.09

$18.77 $18.77

-30.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$5.19 $5.19

-46.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$3.93 $3.93

61.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.96 $4.96

23.79%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.76 $2.76

45.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.76 $2.76

38.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.22 $2.22

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.98 $2.98

-58.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.38 $8.38

$14.02 $14.02

-40.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.97 $16.97

$15.28 $15.28

11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.58 $2.58

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.50 $3.50

40.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.34 $3.34

-25.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.43 $1.43

-4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.56 $23.56

$24.32 $24.32

-3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.26 $1.26

-30.95%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.89%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

-7.20%

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

$190 $190

$193 $193

-1.30%

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

$43.47 $43.47

$68.3 $68.3

-36.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$61.3 $61.3

16.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 $7.89

$17.74 $17.74

-55.52%

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

$1,619 $1,619

$1,652 $1,652

-1.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 $65.5

$66.1 $66.1

-0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 $48.12

$51.2 $51.2

-6.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 $83.4

$100 $100

-16.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$141 $141

-21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 $1,092

$2,446 $2,446

-55.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 $887

$1,678 $1,678

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$4,717 $4,717

-47.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,232 $2,232

$2,795 $2,795

-20.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,148 $2,148

$4,105 $4,105

-47.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,145 $2,145

$2,650 $2,650

-19.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,308 $4,308

$4,866 $4,866

-11.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.81

-6.02%

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

Last update for Cheyenne, WY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cheyenne, WY

$887 45.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 89.2% $791

Groceries & Markets

Cheyenne, WY

$342 17.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 31.4% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cheyenne, WY

$305 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5.7% $17

Eating Out

Cheyenne, WY

$252 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 36.5% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Cheyenne, WY

$138 7.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 16.7% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Cheyenne, WY

$16 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 468% $74

Getting Around

Cheyenne, WY

$9.3 * 0.5%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 924% $86

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,092 in Cheyenne, WY versus $2,446 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 13% 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 $51.0 in Cheyenne, WY versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $449 – making Cheyenne, WY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cheyenne, WY

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:14 8:14 PM

21:14 9:14 PM

1 h ahead of Cheyenne, WY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

65,035

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Cheyenne, WY Chicago, IL 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Cheyenne, WY
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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,948 in Cheyenne, WY, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 61% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,923 per month in Cheyenne, WY and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheyenne, WY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Cheyenne, WY and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheyenne, WY, where all-in costs run around $1,948, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Cheyenne, WY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,948 in Cheyenne, WY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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