Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Boise, ID: $2,625 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Boise, ID
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Boise, ID Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Boise, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Boise, 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 Boise, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,625 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Boise, ID $2,625

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,673 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Boise, ID $3,673

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,720 in Boise, ID, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Boise, ID $4,720

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Boise, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Boise, ID sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Boise, ID by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.08 $19.08

8.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$70.2 $70.2

27.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.90 $12.90

2.25%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.89 $5.89

-3.90%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.71 $2.71

-2.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.03 $2.03

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.57 $6.57

4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.68 $6.68

32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.93 $0.93

34.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.95 $3.95

-5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.22 $6.22

-13.34%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.22 $4.22

12.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.93 $15.93

-13.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.88 $10.88

32.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.24 $17.24

6.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.72 $4.72

10.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.85 $1.85

7.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.09 $4.09

-0.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.90 $4.90

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.86 $2.86

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.69 $2.69

-1.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 $2.31

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.47 $2.47

26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.84 $8.84

56.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.80 $15.80

-5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.14 $2.14

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.31 $3.31

6.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.54 $1.54

57.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$41.59 $41.59

76.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.61 $2.61

21.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.49 $1.49

-6.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.42 $24.42

2.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.9K $33.9K

3.33%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.08%

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

$194 $194

$176 $176

10.30%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.6 $56.6

22.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$74.9 $74.9

-17.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.94 $39.94

19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$37.25 $37.25

-26.60%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.32 $12.32

44.56%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,094 $1,094

63.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.0K $24.0K

32.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.8 $53.8

24.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.81 $40.81

27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$90.0 $90.0

12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$110 $110

30.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,684 $1,684

50.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,314 $1,314

20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,630 $2,630

80.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,810 $1,810

48.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$6,719 $6,719

-37.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,994 $2,994

-7.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,517 $4,517

9.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.68

1.95%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Boise, ID: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Boise, ID

$1.3K 50% 16.8% $264

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Boise, ID

$422 16.1% 5.7% $26

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Boise, ID

$327 12.5% 5.1% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Boise, ID

$308 11.7% 5.5% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Boise, ID

$133 5.1% 19.1% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Boise, ID

$58 2.2% 38.1% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Boise, ID

$65 2.5% 22.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,684 in Boise, ID. 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 9% 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 $70 in Boise, ID. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $422 – making Boise, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Boise, ID

🕒 Local time

18:08 6:08 PM

17:08 5:08 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

235,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Boise, ID 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Boise, 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 Boise, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Boise, ID, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $3,938 in Boise, ID. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boise, ID, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,684 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,094 in Boise, ID. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,625 in Boise, ID. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Boise, ID – 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 Boise, ID. 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.