Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Alliance, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Alliance, OH: $2,420 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 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
118

Cost of Living Index in Alliance, OH
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Alliance, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Alliance, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,420

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Alliance, OH

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 Alliance, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,420 in Alliance, OH.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Alliance, OH $2,420

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $3,400 in Alliance, OH.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Alliance, OH $3,400

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $4,380 in Alliance, OH.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Alliance, OH $4,380

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 30% more expensive than in Alliance, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Alliance, OH 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.15 $20.15

2.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$64.9 $64.9

39.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.94 $9.94

30.18%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.95 $4.95

13.13%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.14 $2.14

23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.46 $1.46

55.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.91 $3.91

78.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.95 $4.95

78.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.89 $0.89

42.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.35 $3.35

13.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.04 $4.04

31.19%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.88 $2.88

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.98 $10.98

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.88 $9.88

47.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.44 $16.44

14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.37 $3.37

54.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.03 $1.03

92.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.45 $4.45

-11.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.66 $3.66

35.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.68 $2.68

2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.01 $2.01

37.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.32 $2.32

-4.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.19 $2.19

36.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$7.38 $7.38

89.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.27 $13.27

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.92 $1.92

34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.20 $3.20

9.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.03 $2.03

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.45 $2.45

36.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.47 $2.47

-42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$40.75 $40.75

-40.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.7K $30.7K

13.96%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.92%

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

$193 $193

$177 $177

9.10%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$60.9 $60.9

12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.3 $66.3

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.21 $41.21

31.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.82 $11.82

50.08%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,723 $1,723

-4.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$14.5K $14.5K

114.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$44.37 $44.37

48.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.17 $40.17

27.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$72.9 $72.9

37.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$79.4 $79.4

77.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,612 $1,612

51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,277 $1,277

31.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,696 $2,696

75.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,875 $1,875

49.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,767 $2,767

48.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,601 $2,601

1.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alliance, OH: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Alliance, OH

$1.3K 52.8% 23.9% $401

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Alliance, OH

$351 14.5% 21.9% $98

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Alliance, OH

$294 12.2% 14.3% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Alliance, OH

$304 12.6% 5.7% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Alliance, OH

$107 4.4% 33.9% $55

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Alliance, OH

$23 * 1% 75.9% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Alliance, OH

$65 2.7% 27.6% $25

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 $1,612 in Alliance, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $65.0 in Alliance, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $351 per month, with Alliance, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Alliance, OH

🕒 Local time

01:34 1:34 AM

02:34 2:34 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

21,000

💱 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 Alliance, OH 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Alliance, OH

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 Alliance, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alliance, OH is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,708 in Chicago, IL and $3,630 in Alliance, OH 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 $1,612 in Alliance, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,652 in Chicago, IL versus $1,723 in Alliance, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alliance, OH – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Alliance, OH is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Alliance, OH is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Alliance, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.