Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Austin, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, MN: $2,515 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Austin, MN
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Austin, MN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Austin, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Austin, 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 Austin, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,515 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Austin, MN $2,515

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,745 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Austin, MN $3,745

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,975 in Austin, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Austin, MN $4,975

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Austin, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Austin, MN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Austin, MN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.88 $19.88

4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$99.9 $99.9

-10.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.20 $12.20

8.11%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.96 $4.96

14.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.98 $2.98

-11.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.97 $4.97

38.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.86 $5.86

50.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.86 $0.86

45.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.97 $2.97

25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.97 $1.97

173.60%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.66 $2.66

78.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.80 $9.80

41.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.46 $6.46

122.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.04 $19.04

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.42 $5.42

-3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.23 $1.23

60.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.65 $3.65

11.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.76 $1.76

182.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.45 $2.45

8.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.22 $2.22

19.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.53 $1.53

46.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.02 $2.02

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.73 $9.73

42.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$2.93 $2.93

407.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.02 $3.02

16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.29 $2.29

6.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$51.5 $51.5

42.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.94 $1.94

63.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.23 $1.23

13.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$20.27 $20.27

23.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

30.90%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

6.14%

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

$194 $194

$185 $185

4.94%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.4 $53.4

30.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$77.7 $77.7

-20.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.15 $42.15

13.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.17 $10.17

75.12%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,306 $1,306

37.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$11.9K $11.9K

168.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$75.0 $75.0

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$54.0 $54.0

-3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$105 $105

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$166 $166

-13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,471 $1,471

71.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,280 $1,280

23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,519 $2,519

88.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,111 $2,111

27.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,819 $2,819

48.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,036 $2,036

35.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Austin, MN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Austin, MN

$1.3K 50.9% 18.9% $298

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Austin, MN

$296 11.8% 33.8% $151

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Austin, MN

$312 12.4% 9.7% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Austin, MN

$316 12.6% 2.8% $9.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Austin, MN

$180 7.2% 9.7% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Austin, MN

$69 2.7% 26.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Austin, MN

$62 2.5% 25.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,471 in Austin, 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 $100 in Austin, MN. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $296 in Austin, MN – so Austin, MN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Austin, MN

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Austin, MN 480 km

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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 Austin, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,773 in Austin, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,471 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Austin, MN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,515 in Austin, MN. That makes Austin, MN about 17% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,515 in Austin, MN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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