Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Anchorage, AK

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Anchorage, AK: $3,185 and $3,290 a month, rent and utilities included.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Anchorage, AK
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Anchorage, AK Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Anchorage, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,290

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Anchorage, AK

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 Anchorage, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL versus $3,290 in Anchorage, AK.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Anchorage, AK $3,290

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,631 in Chicago, IL versus $4,848 in Anchorage, AK.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Anchorage, AK $4,848

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,077 in Chicago, IL versus $6,406 in Anchorage, AK.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Anchorage, AK $6,406

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 3% less than in Anchorage, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 136% above, Anchorage, AK 144% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$24.72 $24.72

-12.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$99.5 $99.5

-10.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$15.08 $15.08

-12.47%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$6.74 $6.74

-17.06%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.24 $3.24

-18.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.52 $2.52

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.17 $8.17

-12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.93 $9.93

-7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.19 $1.19

7.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.80 $4.80

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.06 $6.06

-16.34%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.25 $4.25

13.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$13.72 $13.72

3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.79 $12.79

14.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$21.40 $21.40

-12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$8.16 $8.16

-36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.27 $2.27

-11.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.60 $5.60

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$6.11 $6.11

-18.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.98 $2.98

-6.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.16 $3.16

-16.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.76 $2.76

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.34 $2.34

32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$12.67 $12.67

26.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$17.76 $17.76

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.71 $1.71

53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.51 $3.51

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.06 $2.06

19.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$60.2 $60.2

24.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.71 $2.71

18.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.88 $1.88

-26.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$41.68 $41.68

-39.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.25 $1.25

-0.80%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$33.3K $33.3K

11.54%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.72%

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

$192 $192

$413 $413

-53.49%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$90.3 $90.3

-24.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$139 $139

-56.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$91.5 $91.5

-41.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$40.74 $40.74

-31.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$14.89 $14.89

19.54%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$1,238 $1,238

25.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$10.5K $10.5K

198.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$48.09 $48.09

41.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$45.27 $45.27

12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$113 $113

-10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$120 $120

19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,778 $1,778

34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,408 $1,408

21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,834 $2,834

64.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,467 $2,467

11.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$3,985 $3,985

4.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$2,794 $2,794

-3.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$4,734 $4,734

3.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.49

4.31%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Anchorage, AK: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Anchorage, AK

$1.4K 42.8% 17.8% $304

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Anchorage, AK

$483 14.7% 7.1% $32

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Anchorage, AK

$408 12.4% 15.5% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Anchorage, AK

$643 19.6% 100% $322

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Anchorage, AK

$147 4.5% 10.2% $17

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Anchorage, AK

$81 2.5% 15.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Anchorage, AK

$121 3.7% 36% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,383 in Chicago, IL and $1,778 in Anchorage, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89.0 in Chicago, IL vs $99.0 in Anchorage, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $483 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Anchorage, AK

🕒 Local time

11:12 11:12 AM

08:12 8:12 AM

3 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

289,600

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Anchorage, AK 4,560 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Anchorage, AK

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 Anchorage, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Anchorage, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chicago, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Chicago, IL, 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: $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,778 in Anchorage, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $99.0 in Anchorage, AK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL versus $3,290 in Anchorage, AK – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Chicago, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,185 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chicago, IL hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Anchorage, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.