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: $3,066 in Chicago, IL versus $3,091 in Aurora, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,583 in Chicago, IL versus $4,323 in Aurora, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,100 in Chicago, IL versus $5,555 in Aurora, CO.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 1% less than in Aurora, CO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Aurora, CO 129% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.53 $20.53

$19.66 $19.66

4.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$60.8 $60.8

67.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$12.77 $12.77

-5.79%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$4.19 $4.19

34.13%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.43 $2.43

26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.96 $1.96

23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.93 $3.93

77.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$5.94 $5.94

36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.92 $0.92

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.93 $2.93

34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.04 $3.04

81.58%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.75 $2.75

65.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$8.82 $8.82

65.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$9.26 $9.26

61.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$17.48 $17.48

7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.31 $3.31

61.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.53 $1.53

15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.13 $3.13

40.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.50 $4.50

-2.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.63 $5.63

-54.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.03 $4.03

-31.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.00 $2.00

23.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.74 $3.74

-28.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 $14.74

$9.48 $9.48

55.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$19.69 $19.69

-22.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.71 $1.71

43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.37 $3.37

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.93 $2.93

-13.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 $74.5

$175 $175

-57.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.53 $3.53

-6.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.58 $1.58

-9.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 $24.86

$29.09 $29.09

-14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.79 $0.79

37.97%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$29.2K $29.2K

7.16%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.44%

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

$187 $187

$173 $173

8.19%

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

$62.4 $62.4

$63.0 $63.0

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$54.2 $54.2

23.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$12.01 $12.01

525.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 $13.17

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$13.17 $13.17

15.49%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$1,319 $1,319

54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K $39.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

65.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$43.43 $43.43

47.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$50.9 $50.9

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 $95.4

$112 $112

-14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$113 $113

27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,355 $2,355

$1,961 $1,961

20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$1,780 $1,780

-9.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,728 $4,728

$3,055 $3,055

54.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 $2,754

$2,673 $2,673

3.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,803 $3,803

$3,155 $3,155

20.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,580 $2,580

$3,169 $3,169

-18.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,101 $4,101

15.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.45

2.33%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 14, 2026

Last update for Aurora, CO: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,355 in Chicago, IL and $1,961 in Aurora, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $102 in Chicago, IL vs $61 in Aurora, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $380 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.

Chicago, IL pays 16% more on average, 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: $2,355 in Chicago, IL versus $1,961 in Aurora, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aurora, CO pay roughly 18% 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 $102 versus $61.0 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 $3,066 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.