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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,315 in Brainerd, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,089 in Brainerd, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $3,863 in Brainerd, MN.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 33% more expensive than Brainerd, MN, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Brainerd, MN 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$14.25 $14.25

46.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$67.1 $67.1

46.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.18 $10.18

16.50%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$1.86 $1.86

201.08%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.26 $2.26

35.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.91 $1.91

29.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.86 $5.86

21.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$5.94 $5.94

36.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.00 $1.00

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.23 $3.23

27.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.88 $3.88

44.59%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$2.52 $2.52

78.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$9.60 $9.60

48.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$8.18 $8.18

82.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$12.26 $12.26

56.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.15 $1.15

53.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.71 $5.71

-23.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$5.02 $5.02

-9.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.90 $3.90

-34.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.68 $3.68

-25.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.01 $2.01

20.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.96 $1.96

33.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.59 $10.59

40.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$11.14 $11.14

32.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.69 $1.69

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.39 $4.39

-15.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.96 $1.96

26.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$40.38 $40.38

86.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.93 $2.93

8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.43 $1.43

-0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$28.87 $28.87

-13.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.85 $0.85

24.71%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$35.8K $35.8K

-10.81%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.11%

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

$185 $185

$218 $218

-15.36%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$44.56 $44.56

38.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$60.6 $60.6

10.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.96 $42.96

74.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$8.90 $8.90

65.28%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,183 $1,183

70.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$29.7K $29.7K

32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$39.03 $39.03

65.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$42.43 $42.43

23.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$60.6 $60.6

61.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$64.9 $64.9

127.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,582 $1,582

46.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,221 $1,221

30.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,651 $2,651

73.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$1,517 $1,517

83.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,405 $2,405

63.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,396 $2,396

9.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.43

2.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Brainerd, MN: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,582 in Brainerd, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $67.0 in Brainerd, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $345 per month, with Brainerd, MN cheaper across the board.

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 33% 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 $4,616 in Chicago, IL and $3,472 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,582 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 $67.0 versus $98.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,077 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,315 in Brainerd, MN – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,315 in Brainerd, MN versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brainerd, MN but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Brainerd, MN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brainerd, MN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,315 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brainerd, MN hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Brainerd, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.