Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Aurora, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Aurora, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,134 in Chicago, IL versus $3,171 in Aurora, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,618 in Chicago, IL versus $4,487 in Aurora, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,101 in Chicago, IL versus $5,804 in Aurora, CO.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 1% less than in Aurora, CO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 129% above, Aurora, CO 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.56 $20.56

$30.19 $30.19

-31.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 $84.2

$66.3 $66.3

27.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.56 $13.56

$12.87 $12.87

5.36%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.81 $5.81

-0.52%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.67 $2.67

1.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.17 $2.17

8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.04 $5.04

38.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.74 $8.74

$5.85 $5.85

49.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.98 $2.98

31.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$3.00 $3.00

90.00%

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$4.28 $4.28

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$12.20 $12.20

15.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$9.29 $9.29

57.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.96 $18.96

$14.09 $14.09

34.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.68 $4.68

5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.47 $1.47

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.01 $3.01

34.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.38 $4.38

15.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$5.53 $5.53

-48.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$4.05 $4.05

-36.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.96 $1.96

26.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.80 $3.80

-22.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$9.38 $9.38

71.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.76 $1.76

44.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.91 $2.91

-15.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 $76.1

$178 $178

-57.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.98 $0.98

16.33%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$35.3K $35.3K

4.27%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.6K $26.6K

-4.55%

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

$192 $192

$159 $159

20.96%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$80.5 $80.5

-13.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 $61.4

$50.9 $50.9

20.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 $61.4

$24.34 $24.34

152.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.37 $27.37

$10.05 $10.05

172.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.87 $17.87

$18.18 $18.18

-1.71%

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

$1,544 $1,544

$1,174 $1,174

31.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.7K $30.7K

$29.4K $29.4K

4.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 $62.9

$57.9 $57.9

8.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 $52.7

$49.59 $49.59

6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 $98.3

$105 $105

-6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$116 $116

29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 $2,444

$1,969 $1,969

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 $1,677

$1,774 $1,774

-5.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,667 $4,667

$3,260 $3,260

43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,720 $2,720

$2,673 $2,673

1.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,117 $4,117

$3,244 $3,244

26.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,737 $2,737

$3,166 $3,166

-13.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,809 $4,809

$3,970 $3,970

21.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.12

4.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: August 15, 2026

Last update for Aurora, CO: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,444 in Chicago, IL and $1,969 in Aurora, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Chicago, IL vs $66.0 in Aurora, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $350 per month, with Aurora, CO 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 Aurora, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Aurora, CO. 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 21% 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: $2,444 in Chicago, IL versus $1,969 in Aurora, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aurora, CO pay roughly 30% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $66.0 in Aurora, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 $3,134 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 1% less than in Aurora, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.