Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Beckley, WV

For one person, living is cheaper in Beckley, WV: $2,084 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Beckley, WV
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Beckley, WV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Beckley, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,084

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Beckley, WV

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 Beckley, WV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL versus $2,084 in Beckley, WV.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Beckley, WV $2,084

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,545 in Chicago, IL versus $3,144 in Beckley, WV.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Beckley, WV $3,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,019 in Chicago, IL versus $4,203 in Beckley, WV.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Beckley, WV $4,203

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 47% more expensive than in Beckley, WV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 127% above, Beckley, WV 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.10 $20.10

1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$74.4 $74.4

19.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.22 $12.22

5.16%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.44 $5.44

6.25%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.67 $2.67

2.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.53 $1.53

47.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.84 $5.84

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.23 $5.23

76.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.54 $3.54

0.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.46 $4.46

20.63%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.21 $4.21

8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.23 $11.23

21.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.52 $11.52

22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.03 $17.03

6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.91 $4.91

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.38 $4.38

-11.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.57 $4.57

5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.75 $2.75

2.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.02 $3.02

-11.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.10 $2.10

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.28 $2.28

32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.53 $9.53

45.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.73 $14.73

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.19 $2.19

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.47 $3.47

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.8 $59.8

26.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.28 $3.28

-3.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.68 $1.68

1.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$26.06 $26.06

-4.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.05 $1.05

21.90%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

33.84%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.5K $22.5K

19.14%

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

$192 $192

$202 $202

-5.10%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$59.1 $59.1

17.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.5 $69.5

-10.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.15 $40.15

19.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.05 $14.05

26.90%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,165 $1,165

55.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.1K $21.1K

92.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$54.0 $54.0

22.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$42.01 $42.01

22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$89.8 $89.8

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$115 $115

24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,037 $1,037

144.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$756 $756

114.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,541 $1,541

213.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,291 $1,291

111.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,301 $1,301

219.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,276 $1,276

113.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,503 $4,503

9.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Beckley, WV: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Beckley, WV

$756 36.3% 53.3% $865

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Beckley, WV

$395 18.9% 10.2% $45

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Beckley, WV

$319 15.3% 7.2% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Beckley, WV

$331 15.9% 2.2% $7.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Beckley, WV

$135 6.5% 17.3% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Beckley, WV

$80 3.8% 17.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Beckley, WV

$68 3.3% 18.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,531 in Chicago, IL and $1,037 in Beckley, WV. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 9% 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: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $74 in Beckley, WV for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $395 per month, with Beckley, WV cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Beckley, WV

🕒 Local time

06:30 6:30 AM

07:30 7:30 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

16,828

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Beckley, WV 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Beckley, WV

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 Beckley, WV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beckley, WV wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Beckley, WV the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $1,037 in Beckley, WV. 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 $2,084 in Beckley, WV – Beckley, WV is about 32% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Beckley, WV runs roughly 21% less than in Chicago, IL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Beckley, WV 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 Beckley, WV gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.