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: $3,111 in Chicago, IL versus $3,105 in Aurora, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,680 in Chicago, IL versus $4,364 in Aurora, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,249 in Chicago, IL versus $5,624 in Aurora, CO.

Monthly costs are close between Chicago, IL and Aurora, CO; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.90 $19.90

2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$59.0 $59.0

66.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.94 $12.94

-6.72%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$4.27 $4.27

34.19%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.47 $2.47

20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.98 $1.98

24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 $6.99

$3.92 $3.92

78.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.13 $6.13

33.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.93 $0.93

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.98 $2.98

36.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$2.95 $2.95

86.44%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$2.84 $2.84

63.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.63 $8.63

66.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$9.73 $9.73

56.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.28 $19.28

$17.80 $17.80

8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.24 $3.24

58.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.46 $1.46

20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.13 $3.13

38.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.46 $4.46

-2.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$5.49 $5.49

-55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.96 $3.96

-29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.11 $2.11

19.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.77 $3.77

-29.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.90 $14.90

$9.59 $9.59

55.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$19.75 $19.75

-24.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.78 $1.78

37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.35 $3.35

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.05 $3.05

-20.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 $74.5

$172 $172

-56.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.45 $3.45

-3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.59 $1.59

-13.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.11 $25.11

$29.21 $29.21

-14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.81 $0.81

34.57%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.6K $29.6K

7.73%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.09%

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

$187 $187

$172 $172

8.50%

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

$63.5 $63.5

$62.0 $62.0

2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$54.0 $54.0

21.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 $75.7

$12.04 $12.04

528.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.05 $13.05

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$12.81 $12.81

15.53%

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

$2,025 $2,025

$1,322 $1,322

53.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K $39.0K

$23.6K $23.6K

65.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$43.65 $43.65

46.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 $51.7

$50.1 $50.1

3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 $95.6

$113 $113

-15.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$114 $114

27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 $2,326

$1,925 $1,925

20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$1,744 $1,744

-7.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$3,082 $3,082

52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 $2,721

$2,715 $2,715

0.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,829 $3,829

$3,172 $3,172

20.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,533 $2,533

$3,147 $3,147

-19.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,100 $5,100

$4,053 $4,053

25.81%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Aurora, CO: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,326 in Chicago, IL and $1,925 in Aurora, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 26% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $59.0 in Aurora, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $383 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 pays 26% 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: $2,326 in Chicago, IL versus $1,925 in Aurora, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,025 in Chicago, IL versus $1,322 in Aurora, CO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Aurora, CO – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $98.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Aurora, CO 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 Aurora, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,105 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aurora, CO hard to pass up.

It comes down to priorities – Aurora, CO wins on affordability, Chicago, IL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.