Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,072 a month against $3,689 in Breckenridge, CO, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Breckenridge, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
179

Cost of Living Index in Breckenridge, CO
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Breckenridge, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Breckenridge, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,689 in Breckenridge, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Breckenridge, CO $3,689

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,141 in Breckenridge, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Breckenridge, CO $5,141

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,593 in Breckenridge, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Breckenridge, CO $6,593

Chicago, IL is about 17% cheaper than Breckenridge, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Breckenridge, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Breckenridge, CO by 173%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$17.04 $17.04

19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$80.6 $80.6

9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.97 $10.97

17.14%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$6.27 $6.27

-7.81%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.49 $2.49

10.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.17 $2.17

4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.80 $6.80

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.94 $6.94

33.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.87 $2.87

23.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.74 $2.74

96.35%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.17 $4.17

9.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.97 $10.97

24.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$9.40 $9.40

49.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.58 $15.58

15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.76 $4.76

8.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.34 $4.34

-10.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.87 $4.87

-0.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.43 $3.43

-18.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.68 $1.68

58.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.96 $1.96

5.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.77 $1.77

71.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.45 $10.45

33.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.34 $16.34

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.46 $2.46

6.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.76 $2.76

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.48 $2.48

27.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.88 $1.88

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.92 $24.92

-0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.06 $1.06

20.75%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$24.6K $24.6K

45.58%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.95%

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

$192 $192

$207 $207

-7.08%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$55.8 $55.8

24.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$67.1 $67.1

-7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$68.9 $68.9

-30.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$27.59 $27.59

-1.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.06 $12.06

47.84%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,301 $1,301

39.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$11.3K $11.3K

260.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$60.6 $60.6

9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$30.45 $30.45

68.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$78.7 $78.7

31.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$116 $116

23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,897 $2,897

-12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$2,454 $2,454

-33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$5,663 $5,663

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$3,836 $3,836

-28.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$8,346 $8,346

-50.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$8,271 $8,271

-67.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$6,085 $6,085

-19.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.77

0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Breckenridge, CO: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Breckenridge, CO

$2.5K 66.5% 51.4% $833

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Breckenridge, CO

$361 9.8% 17.8% $78

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Breckenridge, CO

$311 8.4% 9.6% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Breckenridge, CO

$330 8.9% 1.8% $5.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Breckenridge, CO

$128 3.5% 21.5% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Breckenridge, CO

$12 * 0.3% 87.7% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Breckenridge, CO

$93 2.5% 11.4% $9.5

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,897 in Breckenridge, 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 24% higher in Breckenridge, CO. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $81 in Breckenridge, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $361 – making Breckenridge, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Breckenridge, CO

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

02:50 2:50 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

5,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Breckenridge, CO 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Breckenridge, 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 Breckenridge, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Breckenridge, CO is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,534 in Breckenridge, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,531 there versus $2,897 in Breckenridge, CO.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,689 in Breckenridge, CO. That makes Chicago, IL about 17% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,301 in Breckenridge, CO. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,689 in Breckenridge, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,689 in Breckenridge, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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