Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Billings, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Billings, MT: $2,349 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 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
113

Cost of Living Index in Billings, MT
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Billings, MT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Billings, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,349

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Billings, MT

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 Billings, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,349 in Billings, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Billings, MT $2,349

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,546 in Billings, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Billings, MT $3,546

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,743 in Billings, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Billings, MT $4,743

Chicago, IL costs about 29% more than Billings, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Billings, MT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Billings, MT by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.68 $25.68

-19.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.4 $76.4

16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.63 $13.63

-3.23%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.44 $6.44

-12.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.38 $2.38

10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.65 $1.65

38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.14 $4.14

65.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.91 $4.91

80.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.53 $3.53

5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.27 $3.27

64.83%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.09 $3.09

53.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.20 $12.20

13.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.56 $11.56

24.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.29 $17.29

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.68 $3.68

41.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.44 $1.44

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.87 $2.87

41.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.66 $4.66

6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.12 $1.12

138.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.01 $2.01

32.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.39 $2.39

-6.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.49 $1.49

110.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.59 $9.59

44.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.91 $10.91

36.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.20 $2.20

15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.20 $5.20

-32.50%

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

$27.95 $27.95

163.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.46 $2.46

29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$59.6 $59.6

-58.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.7K $29.7K

17.86%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.9K $23.9K

11.80%

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

$194 $194

$171 $171

13.95%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$49.63 $49.63

39.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$83.1 $83.1

-25.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.40 $41.40

15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$15.25 $15.25

79.28%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.89 $13.89

28.22%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,074 $1,074

66.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.4K $19.4K

64.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.1 $61.1

9.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$66.3 $66.3

-21.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.7 $96.7

5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$122 $122

18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,183 $1,183

113.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,049 $1,049

50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,894 $1,894

150.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,834 $1,834

46.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,472 $2,472

69.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,073 $2,073

33.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,926 $3,926

25.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.4

6.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Billings, MT: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Billings, MT

$1K 44.7% 33.5% $529

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Billings, MT

$357 15.2% 20.2% $90

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Billings, MT

$370 15.8% 7.4% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Billings, MT

$303 12.9% 6.8% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Billings, MT

$156 6.6% 5.2% $8.5

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Billings, MT

$45 1.9% 51.6% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Billings, MT

$69 3% 17.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,183 in Billings, MT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Billings, MT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $357 – making Billings, MT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Billings, MT

🕒 Local time

03:05 3:05 AM

02:05 2:05 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

117,116

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Billings, MT 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Billings, MT

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 Billings, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 29% more than Billings, MT, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,524 in Billings, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Billings, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,183 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Billings, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,074 in Billings, MT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,349 in Billings, MT. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Billings, MT – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Billings, MT. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.