Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bend, OR Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bend, OR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,084 in Chicago, IL versus $3,146 in Bend, OR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,637 in Chicago, IL versus $4,638 in Bend, OR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,191 in Chicago, IL versus $6,129 in Bend, OR.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 2% less than in Bend, OR, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 131% above, Bend, OR 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 $20.81

$19.62 $19.62

6.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$79.5 $79.5

24.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$10.46 $10.46

13.77%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$4.62 $4.62

26.41%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.63 $2.63

16.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.66 $1.66

41.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.46 $6.46

6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$7.20 $7.20

12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.18 $1.18

-11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.23 $4.23

-5.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$4.55 $4.55

23.08%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.52 $3.52

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$11.27 $11.27

26.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 $14.90

$11.71 $11.71

27.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 $19.08

$16.98 $16.98

12.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$4.26 $4.26

24.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.46 $1.46

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.78 $2.78

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.94 $2.94

48.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.53 $1.53

67.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.94 $1.94

44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.06 $2.06

19.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.57 $1.57

71.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.95 $14.95

$10.60 $10.60

41.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$16.27 $16.27

-9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.69 $1.69

40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.45 $3.45

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.98 $2.98

-18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 $75.2

$45.81 $45.81

64.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.53 $4.53

-26.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.78 $0.78

75.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.29 $25.29

$23.92 $23.92

5.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.04 $1.04

4.81%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$21.7K $21.7K

48.55%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.5K $23.5K

12.38%

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

$188 $188

$145 $145

30.15%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$46.68 $46.68

35.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$63.9 $63.9

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$85.3 $85.3

-11.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.20 $13.20

$14.95 $14.95

-11.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$14.24 $14.24

3.93%

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

$2,097 $2,097

$1,161 $1,161

80.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$13.1K $13.1K

194.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 $64.9

$40.28 $40.28

61.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$57.1 $57.1

-9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$73.2 $73.2

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$105 $105

39.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$2,447 $2,447

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$1,884 $1,884

-16.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,775 $4,775

$3,769 $3,769

26.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,725 $2,725

$3,284 $3,284

-17.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,023 $4,023

$7,046 $7,046

-42.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,684 $2,684

$4,069 $4,069

-34.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,981 $4,981

$4,685 $4,685

6.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.55

0.76%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bend, OR: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Chicago, IL and $2,447 in Bend, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $99.0 in Chicago, IL vs $79.0 in Bend, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $369 per month, with Bend, OR 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 Bend, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Bend, OR differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,084 vs $3,146 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $2,332 in Chicago, IL versus $2,447 in Bend, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 64% less than in Bend, OR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,097 in Chicago, IL versus $1,161 in Bend, OR. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL 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 Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bend, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.