Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Ada, OK

For one person, living is cheaper in Ada, OK: $1,734 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Ada, OK
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Ada, OK Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Ada, OK

🇺🇸 United States

$1,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Ada, OK

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Ada, OK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $1,734 in Ada, OK.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Ada, OK $1,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $2,592 in Ada, OK.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Ada, OK $2,592

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $3,449 in Ada, OK.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Ada, OK $3,449

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 81% more expensive than in Ada, OK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Ada, OK 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.18 $18.18

13.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$50.8 $50.8

77.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.92 $11.92

8.56%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.10 $4.10

36.59%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.43 $2.43

8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.96 $1.96

15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.06 $3.06

128.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.44 $4.44

98.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.92 $0.92

38.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.23 $3.23

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.44 $3.44

54.07%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.70 $3.70

28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$6.43 $6.43

117.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.61 $11.61

25.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$20.40 $20.40

-7.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.76 $4.76

9.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.62 $1.62

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.56 $3.56

10.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.57 $4.57

8.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.42 $1.42

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.62 $1.62

70.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.65 $1.65

34.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.98 $0.98

204.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$6.10 $6.10

129.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.10 $15.10

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.05 $2.05

25.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.28 $3.28

6.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.05 $3.05

9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.70 $1.70

-15.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.24 $24.24

0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.85 $0.85

48.24%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.3K $36.3K

-3.56%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.70%

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

$193 $193

$211 $211

-8.62%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$79.5 $79.5

-14.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$81.4 $81.4

-24.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$34.77 $34.77

55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.66 $11.66

52.14%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,906 $1,906

-13.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$27.9K $27.9K

11.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$44.17 $44.17

49.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$49.09 $49.09

4.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$91.2 $91.2

9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$106 $106

32.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$636 $636

284.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$538 $538

211.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,017 $1,017

364.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$947 $947

195.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,461 $1,461

180.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,435 $1,435

84.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.62

2.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ada, OK: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Ada, OK

$538 31% 67.9% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Ada, OK

$352 20.3% 21.7% $97

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Ada, OK

$272 15.7% 20.8% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Ada, OK

$372 21.4% 15.3% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Ada, OK

$131 7.5% 18.9% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Ada, OK

$12 * 0.7% 87.9% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Ada, OK

$58 3.4% 35.2% $31

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 $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $636 in Ada, OK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $51.0 in Ada, OK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $352 per month, with Ada, OK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ada, OK

🕒 Local time

06:37 6:37 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

17,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Ada, OK 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Ada, OK

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

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

Chicago, IL and Ada, OK differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $1,734 including rent). Ada, OK is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,708 in Chicago, IL and $2,601 in Ada, OK to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $636 in Ada, OK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL versus $1,734 in Ada, OK – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,734 in Ada, OK versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ada, OK but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Ada, OK the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ada, OK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.