Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bethel, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethel, AK: $2,651 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Bethel, AK
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Bethel, AK Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bethel, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,651

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,651 in Bethel, AK.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bethel, AK $2,651

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,886 in Bethel, AK.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bethel, AK $3,886

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $5,121 in Bethel, AK.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bethel, AK $5,121

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 15% more expensive than in Bethel, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Bethel, AK 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.21 $20.21

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.7 $75.7

17.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.47 $11.47

15.00%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.30 $5.30

6.79%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.74 $2.74

-3.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.02 $6.02

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.40 $7.40

19.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.52 $3.52

5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.27 $4.27

26.23%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.29 $4.29

10.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.33 $12.33

12.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.41 $11.41

26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.34 $17.34

6.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.98 $4.98

4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.40 $4.40

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.61 $4.61

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.78 $2.78

-3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.95 $2.95

-9.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.10 $2.10

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.29 $2.29

36.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.98 $9.98

38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.84 $14.84

0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.92 $1.92

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.27 $3.27

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$63.2 $63.2

16.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.14 $3.14

1.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.76 $1.76

-21.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.48 $29.48

-15.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.63%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.92%

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

$194 $194

$196 $196

-0.82%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.9 $58.9

17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.8 $70.8

-12.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.45 $42.45

12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.96 $13.96

27.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,425 $1,425

25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.6K $23.6K

35.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.0 $53.0

26.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.55 $41.55

25.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.3 $89.3

13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$116 $116

24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,584 $1,584

59.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,316 $1,316

19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,537 $2,537

86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,183 $2,183

23.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,740 $2,740

52.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,372 $2,372

16.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bethel, AK: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bethel, AK

$1.3K 49.7% 16.6% $262

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bethel, AK

$397 15% 11.3% $50

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bethel, AK

$323 12.2% 6.2% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bethel, AK

$326 12.3% 0.1% $0.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bethel, AK

$135 5.1% 17.8% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bethel, AK

$83 3.1% 11.2% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bethel, AK

$70 2.7% 15.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,584 in Bethel, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $76 in Bethel, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $397 per month, with Bethel, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bethel, AK

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

07:12 7:12 AM

3 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

6,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bethel, AK 5,230 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Bethel, AK differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($3,037 vs $2,651 including rent). Bethel, AK is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $4,555 in Chicago, IL and $3,976 in Bethel, AK 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: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,584 in Bethel, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,651 in Bethel, AK – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bethel, AK runs roughly 14% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $2,651 in Bethel, AK versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bethel, AK but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Bethel, AK 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 Bethel, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.