Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bay Minette, AL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bay Minette, AL: $2,574 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Bay Minette, AL
Learn more

Bay Minette, AL Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Bay Minette, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,574

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bay Minette, AL

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 Bay Minette, AL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL versus $2,574 in Bay Minette, AL.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Bay Minette, AL $2,574

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,545 in Chicago, IL versus $3,648 in Bay Minette, AL.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Bay Minette, AL $3,648

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,019 in Chicago, IL versus $4,722 in Bay Minette, AL.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Bay Minette, AL $4,722

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 19% more expensive than in Bay Minette, AL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 127% above, Bay Minette, AL 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.14 $16.14

26.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$45.43 $45.43

94.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.23 $12.23

5.07%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.29 $5.29

9.26%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.52 $2.52

8.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.72 $0.72

213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.12 $6.12

12.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.22 $8.22

12.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.40 $1.40

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.82 $2.82

25.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.37 $3.37

59.64%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.36 $5.36

-15.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$7.58 $7.58

80.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.58 $8.58

63.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.47 $15.47

16.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.09 $3.09

66.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 $1.68

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.44 $5.44

-28.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.57 $5.57

-13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.23 $2.23

26.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.68 $1.68

58.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.20 $2.20

-5.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.57 $2.57

17.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.18 $9.18

51.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.65 $16.65

-9.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.55 $2.55

3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.04 $4.04

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$55.6 $55.6

35.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.58 $3.58

-11.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.46 $1.46

16.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$34.76 $34.76

-28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.98 $0.98

30.61%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$33.9K $33.9K

5.58%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

1.23%

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

$192 $192

$262 $262

-26.60%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$71.1 $71.1

-2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$71.4 $71.4

-12.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$43.48 $43.48

9.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.45 $12.45

43.21%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,545 $1,545

17.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$24.6K $24.6K

65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$39.91 $39.91

65.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$42.44 $42.44

21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$74.8 $74.8

38.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$88.6 $88.6

60.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$892 $892

183.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,259 $1,259

28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,586 $2,586

86.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,071 $2,071

32.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,767 $2,767

50.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,663 $2,663

2.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$2,204 $2,204

123.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.73

0.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Bay Minette, AL: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Bay Minette, AL

$1.3K 48.9% 22.3% $362

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Bay Minette, AL

$368 14.3% 16.2% $71

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Bay Minette, AL

$289 11.2% 15.9% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Bay Minette, AL

$404 15.7% 24.8% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Bay Minette, AL

$111 4.3% 32.4% $53

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Bay Minette, AL

$74 2.9% 23.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Bay Minette, AL

$68 2.7% 18% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,531 in Chicago, IL and $892 in Bay Minette, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays about 2.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $45 in Bay Minette, AL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $368 per month, with Bay Minette, AL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bay Minette, AL

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Bay Minette, AL 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bay Minette, AL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bay Minette, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bay Minette, AL is about 16% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Chicago, IL is about 2.2 times higher, 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: $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $892 in Bay Minette, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,574 in Bay Minette, AL – Bay Minette, AL is about 16% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Bay Minette, AL runs roughly 26% less than in Chicago, IL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bay Minette, AL is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Bay Minette, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.