Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Brainerd, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Brainerd, MN: $2,441 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

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

Cost of Living Index in Brainerd, MN
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Brainerd, MN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Brainerd, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,441

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Brainerd, MN

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 Brainerd, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,441 in Brainerd, MN.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Brainerd, MN $2,441

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,450 in Brainerd, MN.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Brainerd, MN $3,450

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $4,460 in Brainerd, MN.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Brainerd, MN $4,460

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 24% more expensive than in Brainerd, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Brainerd, MN 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.37 $14.37

44.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$38.35 $38.35

132.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.04 $10.04

31.37%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$1.94 $1.94

191.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.09 $2.09

26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.89 $1.89

20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.88 $5.88

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.88 $5.88

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.91 $0.91

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.25 $3.25

14.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.41 $3.41

58.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.43 $2.43

95.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.38 $9.38

47.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.37 $9.37

53.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.23 $13.23

38.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.96 $4.96

5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.16 $1.16

70.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.02 $6.02

-32.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.86 $4.86

2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.82 $3.82

-30.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.52 $3.52

-24.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.05 $2.05

9.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.69 $1.69

85.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.90 $11.90

16.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.77 $12.77

16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.45 $3.45

1.74%

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

$59.7 $59.7

23.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.54 $2.54

25.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.53 $1.53

-9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.96 $30.96

-19.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

26.82%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.07%

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

$194 $194

$233 $233

-16.40%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$45.13 $45.13

53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.8 $59.8

3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.00 $42.00

14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.19 $9.19

93.80%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,221 $1,221

46.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.67 $40.67

64.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.75 $40.75

27.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$60.1 $60.1

69.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$64.5 $64.5

123.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,604 $1,604

57.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,299 $1,299

21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,475 $2,475

91.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,152 $2,152

25.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,434 $2,434

72.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,377 $2,377

16.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.31

7.92%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Brainerd, MN: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Brainerd, MN

$1.3K 53.2% 17.7% $279

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Brainerd, MN

$348 14.3% 22.2% $99

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Brainerd, MN

$225 9.2% 34.7% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Brainerd, MN

$337 13.8% 3.7% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Brainerd, MN

$93 3.8% 43.5% $71

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Brainerd, MN

$78 3.2% 16.9% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Brainerd, MN

$60 2.5% 27.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,604 in Brainerd, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $38 in Brainerd, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $348 per month, with Brainerd, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Brainerd, MN

🕒 Local time

08:28 8:28 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

13,722

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Brainerd, MN 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
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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 Brainerd, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brainerd, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Brainerd, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $4,555 in Chicago, IL and $3,661 in Brainerd, MN 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 $1,604 in Brainerd, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brainerd, MN – a meal for two runs $38 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,441 in Brainerd, MN – Brainerd, MN is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brainerd, MN is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Brainerd, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.