Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Belton, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Belton, SC: $2,623 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Belton, SC
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Belton, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Belton, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Belton, SC

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 Belton, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL versus $2,623 in Belton, SC.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Belton, SC $2,623

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,545 in Chicago, IL versus $3,807 in Belton, SC.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Belton, SC $3,807

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,019 in Chicago, IL versus $4,992 in Belton, SC.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Belton, SC $4,992

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 17% more expensive than in Belton, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 127% above, Belton, SC 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.89 $19.89

2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$75.6 $75.6

17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.76 $11.76

9.27%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.46 $5.46

5.86%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.69 $2.69

1.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.04 $2.04

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.86 $5.86

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.16 $7.16

29.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.49 $3.49

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.34 $4.34

23.96%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.26 $4.26

6.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.33 $12.33

10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.45 $11.45

22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.99 $16.99

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.08 $5.08

1.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.36 $4.36

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.60 $4.60

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.88 $2.88

-2.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.87 $2.87

-6.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.14 $2.14

-3.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.23 $2.23

35.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.86 $9.86

40.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.73 $14.73

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.84 $1.84

42.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.35 $3.35

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.86 $1.86

30.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$56.6 $56.6

33.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.64 $3.64

-12.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.87 $1.87

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$30.51 $30.51

-18.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.96 $0.96

33.33%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.6K $29.6K

20.74%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.0K $23.0K

16.57%

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

$192 $192

$200 $200

-3.91%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$58.0 $58.0

19.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$68.8 $68.8

-9.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$41.12 $41.12

16.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.30 $15.30

16.54%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,216 $1,216

49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$23.1K $23.1K

75.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$52.4 $52.4

26.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$41.71 $41.71

23.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$89.6 $89.6

15.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$115 $115

23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,582 $1,582

59.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,296 $1,296

25.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,585 $2,585

86.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,070 $2,070

32.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,620 $2,620

58.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,145 $2,145

26.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

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 Belton, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Belton, SC

$1.3K 49.4% 20.1% $325

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Belton, SC

$395 15.1% 10% $44

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Belton, SC

$322 12.3% 6.3% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Belton, SC

$327 12.5% 0.9% $2.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Belton, SC

$135 5.1% 17.8% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Belton, SC

$77 2.9% 20.3% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Belton, SC

$72 2.7% 14% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,531 in Chicago, IL and $1,582 in Belton, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $76 in Belton, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $395 per month, with Belton, SC cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Belton, SC

🕒 Local time

07:21 7:21 AM

08:21 8:21 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

23,054

💱 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 Belton, SC 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Belton, SC

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 Belton, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belton, SC is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $4,608 in Chicago, IL and $3,935 in Belton, SC to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,582 in Belton, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Belton, SC – a meal for two runs $76 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,623 in Belton, SC – Belton, SC is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Belton, SC 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 Belton, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.