Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Blackfoot, ID

For one person, living is cheaper in Blackfoot, ID: $2,417 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Blackfoot, ID
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Blackfoot, ID Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Blackfoot, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,417

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Blackfoot, ID

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 Blackfoot, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,417 in Blackfoot, ID.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Blackfoot, ID $2,417

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $3,539 in Blackfoot, ID.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Blackfoot, ID $3,539

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $4,661 in Blackfoot, ID.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Blackfoot, ID $4,661

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 30% more expensive than in Blackfoot, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Blackfoot, ID 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.28 $18.28

12.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$72.4 $72.4

24.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.85 $9.85

31.37%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.16 $5.16

8.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.29 $2.29

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.65 $1.65

37.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.11 $6.11

14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.06 $8.06

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.86 $0.86

47.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.54 $1.54

146.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.01 $2.01

163.68%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.85 $2.85

67.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.13 $8.13

71.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$5.97 $5.97

144.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.32 $17.32

8.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.75 $2.75

88.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.25 $1.25

58.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.83 $2.83

38.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.83 $2.83

75.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.06 $1.06

160.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.70 $1.70

62.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.77 $1.77

25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.20 $1.20

148.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.18 $8.18

71.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.70 $9.70

57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.55 $1.55

66.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.72 $1.72

103.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.55 $2.55

-3.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.48 $2.48

34.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.29 $2.29

-37.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$25.14 $25.14

-3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.15 $1.15

9.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.1K $35.1K

-0.15%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.29%

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

$193 $193

$196 $196

-1.55%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$48.30 $48.30

41.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$78.2 $78.2

-21.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$45.19 $45.19

19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.24 $15.24

16.40%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,334 $1,334

23.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.2K $20.2K

53.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$72.1 $72.1

-8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$45.90 $45.90

11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$111 $111

-9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$109 $109

29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,604 $1,604

52.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,288 $1,288

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,506 $2,506

88.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,187 $2,187

27.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,967 $1,967

108.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,934 $1,934

37.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.46

5.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Blackfoot, ID: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Blackfoot, ID

$1.3K 53.3% 23.2% $390

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Blackfoot, ID

$255 10.6% 43.3% $194

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Blackfoot, ID

$300 12.4% 12.6% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Blackfoot, ID

$322 13.3% 0% $0

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Blackfoot, ID

$152 6.3% 5.8% $9.4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Blackfoot, ID

$24 * 1% 74.7% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Blackfoot, ID

$76 3.1% 15.5% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $1,604 in Blackfoot, ID. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90 in Chicago, IL vs $72 in Blackfoot, ID for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $255 per month, with Blackfoot, ID cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Blackfoot, ID

🕒 Local time

21:40 9:40 PM

20:40 8:40 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,899

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Blackfoot, ID 2,020 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Blackfoot, ID

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 Blackfoot, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blackfoot, ID is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $4,708 in Chicago, IL and $3,625 in Blackfoot, ID 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: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,604 in Blackfoot, ID. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,417 in Blackfoot, ID – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.