Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Campbellsville, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Campbellsville, KY: $1,556 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,139
/mo nomad
Campbellsville, KY
🇺🇸 United States
$1,556
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Campbellsville, KY

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 Campbellsville, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,556 in Campbellsville, KY, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,139
  • Campbellsville, KY $1,556

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,428 in Campbellsville, KY, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,627
  • Campbellsville, KY $2,428

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,300 in Campbellsville, KY, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $6,115
  • Campbellsville, KY $3,300

Chicago, IL costs about 102% more than Campbellsville, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Campbellsville, KY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Campbellsville, KY by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.65 $20.65
$14.78 $14.78
39.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.2 $90.2
$50.1 $50.1
80.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.94 $12.94
$10.10 $10.10
28.12%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$5.03 $5.03
11.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.46 $1.46
80.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$0.98 $0.98
131.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.98 $6.98
$3.93 $3.93
77.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.83 $8.83
$4.11 $4.11
114.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 $1.27
$0.80 $0.80
58.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.80 $3.80
$2.27 $2.27
67.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.30 $5.30
$4.06 $4.06
30.54%
Eggs
$4.76 $4.76
$4.12 $4.12
15.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.96 $13.96
$12.72 $12.72
9.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.61 $14.61
$8.68 $8.68
68.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.77 $18.77
$16.37 $16.37
14.66%
Apples (1kg)
$5.19 $5.19
$5.70 $5.70
-8.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.58 $1.58
25.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$4.23 $4.23
-7.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$4.84 $4.84
2.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.54 $2.54
8.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$3.20 $3.20
-13.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.12 $2.12
4.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 $2.98
$1.84 $1.84
61.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.02 $14.02
$8.24 $8.24
70.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.28 $15.28
$15.12 $15.12
1.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.14 $2.14
20.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 $3.50
$2.92 $2.92
19.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.16 $2.16
14.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.8 $74.8
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.34 $3.34
$3.84 $3.84
-13.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 $1.43
$1.22 $1.22
17.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.32 $24.32
$24.86 $24.86
-2.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$0.96 $0.96
31.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$21.8K $21.8K
60.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K $26.1K
$24.9K $24.9K
4.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 $193
$75.3 $75.3
155.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.3 $68.3
$65.8 $65.8
3.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.3 $61.3
$24.79 $24.79
147.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 $54.1
$41.38 $41.38
30.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 $27.92
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.74 $17.74
$10.11 $10.11
75.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,652 $1,652
$1,490 $1,490
10.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.1K $31.1K
$19.7K $19.7K
57.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.1 $66.1
$29.41 $29.41
124.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 $51.2
$44.88 $44.88
14.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 $100
$86.0 $86.0
16.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 $141
$108 $108
30.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,446 $2,446
$742 $742
229.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,678 $1,678
$578 $578
190.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,717 $4,717
$1,246 $1,246
278.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,795 $2,795
$1,048 $1,048
166.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,105 $4,105
$2,596 $2,596
58.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,650 $2,650
$2,585 $2,585
2.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
Campbellsville, KY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,866 $4,866
$3,211 $3,211
51.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
6.59
3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Campbellsville, KY: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.7K
Campbellsville, KY
$578 65.5% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$449
Campbellsville, KY
$364 18.9% $85
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$343
Campbellsville, KY
$246 28.2% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$322
Campbellsville, KY
$166 48.5% $156
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$161
Campbellsville, KY
$121 25.2% $41
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$95
Campbellsville, KY
$19 * 80.4% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$90
Campbellsville, KY
$62 31.2% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $742 in Campbellsville, KY. 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 52% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $50.0 in Campbellsville, KY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $364 – making Campbellsville, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 Campbellsville, KY
🕒 Local time
03:50 3:50 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
1 h ahead of Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
10,890
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL Campbellsville, KY 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • Campbellsville, KY

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 Campbellsville, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chicago, IL or Campbellsville, KY?
Chicago, IL costs about 102% more than Campbellsville, KY, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chicago, IL and in Campbellsville, KY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,334 in Campbellsville, KY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chicago, IL or Campbellsville, KY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Campbellsville, KY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Chicago, IL compared to Campbellsville, KY?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $1,556 in Campbellsville, KY. That's a gap of about 102%.
How do childcare costs compare in Chicago, IL and in Campbellsville, KY?
Kindergarten costs $1,652 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,490 in Campbellsville, KY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chicago, IL or in Campbellsville, KY?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Campbellsville, KY, where all-in costs run around $1,556, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Campbellsville, KY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chicago, IL or Campbellsville, KY?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Campbellsville, KY costs $1,556 versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Chicago, IL or to Campbellsville, KY?
If budget matters most, go with Campbellsville, KY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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