Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Apple Valley, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Apple Valley, MN: $2,554 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Apple Valley, MN
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Apple Valley, MN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Apple Valley, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,554

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Apple Valley, MN

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 Apple Valley, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,554 in Apple Valley, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Apple Valley, MN $2,554

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,751 in Apple Valley, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Apple Valley, MN $3,751

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,949 in Apple Valley, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Apple Valley, MN $4,949

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Apple Valley, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Apple Valley, MN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Apple Valley, MN by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.64 $19.64

5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$74.5 $74.5

19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.94 $10.94

20.57%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.06 $6.06

-6.60%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.78 $2.78

-5.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.32 $2.32

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.91 $6.91

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.12 $8.12

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.89 $0.89

40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.14 $3.14

18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.79 $3.79

42.22%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.73 $3.73

27.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.25 $10.25

35.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.22 $12.22

17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.16 $19.16

-4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.87 $5.87

-11.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.29 $4.29

-5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.09 $5.09

-2.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.15 $2.15

24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.71 $3.71

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 $2.31

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.66 $2.66

17.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.83 $12.83

7.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.07 $15.07

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.92 $2.92

20.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.80 $1.80

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$54.5 $54.5

34.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.98 $4.98

-36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.74 $1.74

-20.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.12 $24.12

3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.06 $1.06

13.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.34%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.60%

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

$194 $194

$171 $171

14.03%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.1 $50.1

38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$58.5 $58.5

5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.12 $40.12

19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.83 $13.83

28.78%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,328 $1,328

35.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$36.9K $36.9K

-13.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$57.0 $57.0

17.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.61 $43.61

19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$72.3 $72.3

40.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$85.2 $85.2

68.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,654 $1,654

52.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,281 $1,281

23.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,171 $2,171

118.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,105 $2,105

27.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,951 $2,951

41.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,458 $2,458

12.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.61

3.03%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Apple Valley, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Apple Valley, MN

$1.3K 50.2% 18.8% $297

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Apple Valley, MN

$401 15.7% 10.4% $47

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Apple Valley, MN

$334 13.1% 3.2% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Apple Valley, MN

$279 10.9% 14.3% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Apple Valley, MN

$116 4.6% 29.2% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Apple Valley, MN

$75 3% 19.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Apple Valley, MN

$68 2.7% 18.8% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,654 in Apple Valley, MN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Apple Valley, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $401 – making Apple Valley, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Apple Valley, MN

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

50,109

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Apple Valley, MN 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Chicago, IL
Apple Valley, MN

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 Apple Valley, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,554 in Apple Valley, MN – Apple Valley, MN comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,831 in Apple Valley, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Apple Valley, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,654 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,554 in Apple Valley, MN. That makes Apple Valley, MN about 16% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Apple Valley, MN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Apple Valley, MN, where all-in costs run around $2,554, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Apple Valley, MN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Apple Valley, MN is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.