Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Alamosa, CO: $2,380 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 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
116

Cost of Living Index in Alamosa, CO
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Alamosa, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Alamosa, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,380

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Alamosa, CO

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 Alamosa, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,380 in Alamosa, CO.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Alamosa, CO $2,380

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $3,444 in Alamosa, CO.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Alamosa, CO $3,444

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $4,509 in Alamosa, CO.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Alamosa, CO $4,509

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 32% more expensive than in Alamosa, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Alamosa, CO 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$12.91 $12.91

59.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$48.99 $48.99

84.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$8.61 $8.61

50.29%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.88 $4.88

14.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.23 $2.23

18.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.48 $1.48

53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.12 $6.12

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.98 $7.98

10.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.00 $1.00

27.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.30 $3.30

15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.53 $4.53

17.00%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.53 $2.53

88.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$6.71 $6.71

108.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.73 $9.73

50.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$20.46 $20.46

-8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.72 $4.72

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 $1.43

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.23 $3.23

21.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.64 $1.64

202.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$0.53 $0.53

420.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.11 $1.11

148.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.49 $1.49

48.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.75 $2.75

8.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.84 $10.84

29.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.88 $13.88

10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.51 $2.51

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.52 $3.52

-0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.89 $1.89

30.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.53 $3.53

-5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.01 $2.01

-28.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$31.46 $31.46

-22.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.3K $29.3K

19.43%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

5.16%

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

$193 $193

$143 $143

35.15%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$64.4 $64.4

5.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$71.2 $71.2

-13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.24 $42.24

28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.81 $12.81

38.49%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,490 $1,490

10.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$25.1K $25.1K

23.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$53.4 $53.4

23.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$44.08 $44.08

16.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$105 $105

-4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$120 $120

17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,566 $1,566

56.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,274 $1,274

31.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,474 $2,474

90.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,145 $2,145

30.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,845 $2,845

44.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,271 $2,271

16.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$7,716 $7,716

-36.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alamosa, CO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Alamosa, CO

$1.3K 53.5% 24.1% $404

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Alamosa, CO

$345 14.5% 23.3% $105

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Alamosa, CO

$249 10.5% 27.5% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Alamosa, CO

$278 11.7% 13.7% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Alamosa, CO

$145 6.1% 10.2% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Alamosa, CO

$21 * 0.9% 77.8% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Alamosa, CO

$68 2.9% 24.3% $22

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 $1,566 in Alamosa, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alamosa, CO pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $49.00 in Alamosa, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $345 per month, with Alamosa, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Alamosa, CO

🕒 Local time

21:14 9:14 PM

20:14 8:14 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Alamosa, CO 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Alamosa, CO

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 Alamosa, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Alamosa, CO differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $2,380 including rent). Alamosa, CO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Alamosa, CO. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,566 in Alamosa, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% 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 $2,380 in Alamosa, CO – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Alamosa, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Alamosa, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.