Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Anderson, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Anderson, SC: $2,407 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Anderson, SC
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Anderson, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Anderson, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,407

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Anderson, SC

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 Anderson, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,407 in Anderson, SC.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Anderson, SC $2,407

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $3,692 in Anderson, SC.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Anderson, SC $3,692

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $4,976 in Anderson, SC.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Anderson, SC $4,976

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 30% more expensive than in Anderson, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Anderson, SC 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$14.72 $14.72

40.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$102 $102

-11.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.89 $11.89

8.83%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.77 $6.77

-17.28%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.04 $3.04

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.74 $2.74

-17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.01 $4.01

74.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.99 $4.99

76.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.00 $1.00

27.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.07 $4.07

-6.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.58 $6.58

-19.45%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.00 $5.00

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.67 $11.67

19.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$16.71 $16.71

-12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$24.49 $24.49

-23.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$7.36 $7.36

-29.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.49 $5.49

-28.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.13 $6.13

-19.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.05 $3.05

-9.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.85 $3.85

-28.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.64 $2.64

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.67 $2.67

11.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$7.30 $7.30

92.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.67 $13.67

11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.91 $2.91

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.69 $3.69

-5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$4.14 $4.14

-40.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$50.8 $50.8

47.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$6.02 $6.02

-44.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.97 $0.97

47.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.84 $0.84

50.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.7K $28.7K

22.04%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$31.6K $31.6K

-17.48%

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

$193 $193

$237 $237

-18.66%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$90.2 $90.2

-24.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$64.8 $64.8

-5.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.21 $40.21

34.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$22.84 $22.84

22.24%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.95 $11.95

48.45%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,935 $2,935

-43.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$11.8K $11.8K

162.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$36.32 $36.32

81.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$29.44 $29.44

74.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$63.9 $63.9

56.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$62.8 $62.8

124.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,118 $1,118

118.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,002 $1,002

67.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,789 $1,789

163.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,756 $1,756

59.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,069 $2,069

98.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,098 $2,098

26.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,278 $3,278

48.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Anderson, SC: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Anderson, SC

$1K 41.6% 40.3% $676

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Anderson, SC

$497 20.6% 10.6% $48

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Anderson, SC

$288 12% 16.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Anderson, SC

$392 16.3% 21.6% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Anderson, SC

$87 3.6% 46.3% $75

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Anderson, SC

$78 3.3% 17.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Anderson, SC

$64 2.7% 28.4% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $1,118 in Anderson, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 48% 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: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $102 in Anderson, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $497 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Anderson, SC

🕒 Local time

08:16 8:16 AM

09:16 9:16 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

57,496

💱 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 Anderson, SC 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Anderson, SC

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 Anderson, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 48% 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: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,118 in Anderson, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Anderson, SC runs roughly 47% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,652 in Chicago, IL versus $2,935 in Anderson, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,407 in Anderson, SC versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Anderson, SC but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Anderson, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Anderson, SC 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 Anderson, SC 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.