Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Alexandria, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Alexandria, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,066 in Chicago, IL versus $2,232 in Alexandria, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,583 in Chicago, IL versus $3,457 in Alexandria, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,100 in Chicago, IL versus $4,682 in Alexandria, MN.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 37% more expensive than Alexandria, MN, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Alexandria, MN 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 $20.53

$15.27 $15.27

34.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$59.1 $59.1

72.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$10.05 $10.05

19.70%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.29 $5.29

6.24%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.95 $1.95

57.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.97 $1.97

22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.40 $5.40

29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$7.20 $7.20

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.02 $1.02

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.33 $3.33

18.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.96 $3.96

39.39%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.21 $3.21

41.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$9.20 $9.20

58.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$11.50 $11.50

29.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$14.28 $14.28

31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$5.00 $5.00

6.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.17 $1.17

50.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.90 $5.90

-25.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.12 $5.12

-14.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.94 $3.94

-35.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.78 $3.78

-26.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.04 $2.04

20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.95 $1.95

36.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 $14.74

$10.47 $10.47

40.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$16.20 $16.20

-6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.78 $1.78

37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$4.37 $4.37

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.96 $1.96

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 $74.5

$126 $126

-41.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.86 $4.86

-32.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 $24.86

$29.07 $29.07

-14.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.87 $0.87

25.29%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$35.1K $35.1K

-10.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.61%

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

$187 $187

$220 $220

-14.80%

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

$62.4 $62.4

$47.87 $47.87

30.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$72.6 $72.6

-7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$75.9 $75.9

-0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 $13.17

$50.6 $50.6

-73.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$9.93 $9.93

53.17%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$994 $994

105.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K $39.3K

$30.2K $30.2K

30.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$24.56 $24.56

160.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$24.94 $24.94

102.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 $95.4

$50.3 $50.3

89.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$60.9 $60.9

135.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 $2,355

$1,064 $1,064

121.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$917 $917

75.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,728 $4,728

$2,124 $2,124

122.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 $2,754

$1,850 $1,850

48.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,803 $3,803

$2,776 $2,776

36.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,580 $2,580

$2,741 $2,741

-5.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,354 $3,354

41.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.43

2.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 14, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, MN: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,355 in Chicago, IL and $1,064 in Alexandria, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Chicago, IL vs $59 in Alexandria, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $382 per month, with Alexandria, MN cheaper across the board.

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 Alexandria, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chicago, IL pays 41% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,355 in Chicago, IL versus $1,064 in Alexandria, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,039 in Chicago, IL versus $994 in Alexandria, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,232 in Alexandria, MN versus $3,066 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria, MN but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria, MN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria, MN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.