Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,303 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Boulder, CO

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 Boulder, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,303 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Boulder, CO $3,303

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,905 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Boulder, CO $4,905

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,508 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Boulder, CO $6,508

Chicago, IL is about 7% cheaper than Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Boulder, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Boulder, CO by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.17 $20.17

1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$79.1 $79.1

12.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.98 $14.98

-14.22%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.74 $5.74

0.70%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.53 $3.53

-22.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.93 $2.93

-22.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.87 $6.87

0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.91 $7.91

16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.23 $1.23

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$5.50 $5.50

-35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.70 $6.70

-19.70%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.48 $5.48

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.77 $11.77

15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.23 $11.23

25.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.36 $17.36

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.81 $5.81

-11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.44 $1.44

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.08 $6.08

-36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.06 $6.06

-20.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.08 $4.08

-31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.70 $3.70

-27.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.48 $3.48

-40.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.76 $2.76

9.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.26 $10.26

35.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.09 $17.09

-11.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.91 $1.91

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.94 $4.94

-30.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.78 $2.78

-12.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$86.9 $86.9

-13.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.47 $2.47

28.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.41 $1.41

20.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.02 $24.02

3.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

25.55%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.10%

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

$192 $192

$229 $229

-16.21%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$71.5 $71.5

-2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$74.4 $74.4

-16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$75.5 $75.5

-36.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$19.92 $19.92

36.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$18.82 $18.82

-5.26%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,927 $1,927

-5.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$32.4K $32.4K

25.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$68.0 $68.0

-2.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$49.54 $49.54

3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$93.1 $93.1

11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$141 $141

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,181 $2,181

16.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,726 $1,726

-6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$3,833 $3,833

25.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$3,071 $3,071

-10.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$6,157 $6,157

-32.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$4,617 $4,617

-41.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,513 $5,513

-10.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.67

1.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Boulder, CO

$1.7K 52.3% 6.5% $105

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Boulder, CO

$472 14.3% 7.5% $33

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Boulder, CO

$351 10.6% 2.1% $7.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Boulder, CO

$375 11.4% 15.8% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Boulder, CO

$158 4.8% 3.3% $5.3

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Boulder, CO

$108 3.3% 11.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Boulder, CO

$113 3.4% 35.6% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,181 in Boulder, CO. 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 12% higher in Boulder, CO. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Boulder, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $472 in Boulder, CO – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

09:08 9:08 AM

08:08 8:08 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

106,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Boulder, CO 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Boulder, CO

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 Boulder, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,955 in Boulder, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boulder, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,181 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Boulder, CO, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Boulder, CO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,303 in Boulder, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,072 versus $3,303 in Boulder, CO. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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