Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Baton Rouge, LA Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Baton Rouge, LA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,509 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,455 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $4,402 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 23% more expensive than Baton Rouge, LA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Baton Rouge, LA 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$15.05 $15.05

38.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$54.3 $54.3

80.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.13 $10.13

17.08%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.92 $5.92

-5.41%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.95 $1.95

57.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.26 $1.26

96.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$4.95 $4.95

44.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.48 $6.48

24.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.39 $1.39

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.98 $2.98

37.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.27 $2.27

147.14%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$3.09 $3.09

45.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$13.24 $13.24

7.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.12 $11.12

33.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$16.84 $16.84

13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.36 $5.36

-4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.09 $2.09

-15.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.32 $5.32

-17.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.85 $3.85

18.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.04 $3.04

-16.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.78 $2.78

-1.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.18 $2.18

11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.87 $1.87

40.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.79 $10.79

38.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$19.04 $19.04

-22.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.82 $1.82

35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.77 $2.77

34.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.72 $1.72

44.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$55.0 $55.0

37.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.12 $4.12

-22.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.27 $1.27

11.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$58.9 $58.9

-57.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.75 $0.75

41.33%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$37.1K $37.1K

-13.96%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.3K $25.3K

3.09%

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

$185 $185

$139 $139

33.45%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$44.25 $44.25

39.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$73.8 $73.8

-9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$51.7 $51.7

45.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

$9.81 $9.81

33.33%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$11.84 $11.84

24.24%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$3,055 $3,055

-33.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$10.1K $10.1K

288.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$36.47 $36.47

77.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$41.81 $41.81

25.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$73.4 $73.4

33.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$77.0 $77.0

91.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,320 $1,320

75.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,401 $1,401

13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,018 $2,018

128.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$1,852 $1,852

50.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$1,715 $1,715

128.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$1,745 $1,745

49.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$3,302 $3,302

58.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.61

-0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Baton Rouge, LA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,320 in Baton Rouge, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 58% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $54.0 in Baton Rouge, LA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $389 per month, with Baton Rouge, LA 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 Baton Rouge, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Baton Rouge, LA differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($3,077 vs $2,509 including rent). Baton Rouge, LA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chicago, IL pays 58% 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,320 in Baton Rouge, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baton Rouge, LA runs roughly 37% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $3,055 in Baton Rouge, LA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,509 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Baton Rouge, LA but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Baton Rouge, LA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Baton Rouge, LA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.