Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Albuquerque, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Albuquerque, NM: $2,273 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Albuquerque, NM
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Albuquerque, NM Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Albuquerque, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,273

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Albuquerque, NM

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 Albuquerque, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,273 in Albuquerque, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Albuquerque, NM $2,273

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,323 in Albuquerque, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Albuquerque, NM $3,323

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,373 in Albuquerque, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Albuquerque, NM $4,373

Chicago, IL costs about 34% more than Albuquerque, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Albuquerque, NM sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Albuquerque, NM by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.66 $16.66

24.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$67.7 $67.7

31.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.81 $9.81

34.45%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.05 $5.05

12.08%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.01 $3.01

-12.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.97 $5.97

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.15 $8.15

8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.98 $0.98

27.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.16 $3.16

17.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.44 $4.44

21.40%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.91 $4.91

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.79 $11.79

17.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.59 $9.59

50.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$20.51 $20.51

-10.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.84 $4.84

7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.44 $1.44

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.24 $4.24

-4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.13 $5.13

-3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.21 $3.21

-16.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.37 $3.37

-21.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.97 $1.97

13.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.76 $2.76

13.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.81 $10.81

27.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.97 $13.97

6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.50 $2.50

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.67 $3.67

-4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.69 $3.69

-13.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.96 $1.96

-29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.61 $32.61

-23.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.9K $29.9K

17.27%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.0K $25.0K

6.85%

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

$194 $194

$159 $159

22.44%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$63.3 $63.3

9.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.6 $71.6

-13.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.01 $40.01

19.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$13.97 $13.97

95.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.91 $12.91

37.96%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,326 $1,326

35.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.8K $24.8K

28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.3 $53.3

25.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.45 $43.45

20.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$106 $106

-4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$119 $119

20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,451 $1,451

74.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,060 $1,060

48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,562 $2,562

84.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,673 $1,673

61.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,677 $2,677

56.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,140 $2,140

29.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,064 $4,064

21.33%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Albuquerque, NM: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Albuquerque, NM

$1.1K 46.6% 32.9% $519

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Albuquerque, NM

$404 17.8% 9.6% $43

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Albuquerque, NM

$291 12.8% 15.7% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Albuquerque, NM

$294 12.9% 9.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Albuquerque, NM

$145 6.4% 11.6% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Albuquerque, NM

$13 * 0.6% 85.6% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Albuquerque, NM

$66 2.9% 21.2% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,451 in Albuquerque, NM. 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 21% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $68 in Albuquerque, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $404 – making Albuquerque, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Albuquerque, NM

🕒 Local time

22:47 10:47 PM

21:47 9:47 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

564,559

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Albuquerque, NM 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Albuquerque, NM

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 Albuquerque, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 34% more than Albuquerque, NM, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,409 in Albuquerque, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Albuquerque, NM, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,451 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $68 in Albuquerque, NM. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,273 in Albuquerque, NM. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Albuquerque, NM – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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