Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bridgeton, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Bridgeton, MO: $2,556 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Bridgeton, MO
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Bridgeton, MO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Bridgeton, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,556

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bridgeton, MO

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 Bridgeton, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,556 in Bridgeton, MO.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Bridgeton, MO $2,556

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $3,735 in Bridgeton, MO.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Bridgeton, MO $3,735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $4,914 in Bridgeton, MO.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Bridgeton, MO $4,914

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 23% more expensive than in Bridgeton, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Bridgeton, MO 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.88 $18.88

9.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$74.1 $74.1

21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.84 $10.84

19.37%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.12 $5.12

9.37%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.51 $2.51

5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.02 $2.02

12.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.08 $6.08

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.86 $6.86

28.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.00 $1.00

27.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.56 $3.56

6.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.27 $4.27

24.12%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.10 $4.10

16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.13 $12.13

15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.29 $11.29

29.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$15.37 $15.37

22.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.98 $4.98

4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.32 $4.32

-9.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.70 $4.70

5.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.90 $2.90

-4.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.79 $2.79

-1.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.08 $2.08

6.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.11 $2.11

41.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.62 $9.62

45.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.18 $14.18

7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.80 $1.80

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.43 $3.43

2.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.97 $1.97

25.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.44 $3.44

-2.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.58 $1.58

-9.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.16 $29.16

-16.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.89 $0.89

41.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.5K $29.5K

18.55%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.98%

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

$193 $193

$188 $188

2.25%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$52.6 $52.6

29.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$67.1 $67.1

-8.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.66 $42.66

26.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.69 $13.69

29.58%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,323 $1,323

24.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.3K $23.3K

33.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$50.9 $50.9

29.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.14 $40.14

27.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$86.8 $86.8

15.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$114 $114

23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,589 $1,589

53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,335 $1,335

25.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,663 $2,663

77.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,205 $2,205

26.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,810 $2,810

46.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,469 $2,469

7.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bridgeton, MO: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Bridgeton, MO

$1.3K 52.2% 20.4% $343

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Bridgeton, MO

$385 15.1% 14.3% $64

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Bridgeton, MO

$307 12% 10.6% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Bridgeton, MO

$308 12.1% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Bridgeton, MO

$131 5.1% 18.7% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Bridgeton, MO

$19 * 0.8% 79.8% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Bridgeton, MO

$70 2.7% 21.8% $20

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $1,589 in Bridgeton, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $74.0 in Bridgeton, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $385 per month, with Bridgeton, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bridgeton, MO

🕒 Local time

01:18 1:18 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,445

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bridgeton, MO 420 km

From you

Chicago, IL
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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 Bridgeton, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bridgeton, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bridgeton, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,708 in Chicago, IL and $3,834 in Bridgeton, MO 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: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,589 in Bridgeton, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,652 in Chicago, IL versus $1,323 in Bridgeton, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bridgeton, MO – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Bridgeton, MO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,556 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bridgeton, MO hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bridgeton, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.