Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Carbondale, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Carbondale, IL: $1,759 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 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
85

Cost of Living Index in Carbondale, IL
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Carbondale, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Carbondale, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,759

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Carbondale, IL

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 Carbondale, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $1,759 in Carbondale, IL.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Carbondale, IL $1,759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $2,131 in Carbondale, IL.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Carbondale, IL $2,131

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $2,503 in Carbondale, IL.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Carbondale, IL $2,503

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 78% more expensive than in Carbondale, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Carbondale, IL 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.85 $17.85

15.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$38.28 $38.28

135.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.16 $9.16

41.27%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.12 $5.12

9.37%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.29 $2.29

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.94 $1.94

17.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.59 $4.59

52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.20 $8.20

7.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.92 $0.92

38.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.10 $3.10

22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.12 $4.12

28.64%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.71 $3.71

28.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.28 $13.28

5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.47 $11.47

27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.80 $18.80

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.60 $5.60

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.80 $1.80

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.92 $5.92

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.91 $4.91

1.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.62 $1.62

70.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.40 $2.40

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.64 $2.64

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.16 $2.16

37.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.04 $9.04

55.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.13 $13.13

16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.70 $1.70

51.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.60 $1.60

118.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.03 $2.03

64.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.39 $1.39

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$19.64 $19.64

23.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.23%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.3K $27.3K

-4.45%

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

$193 $193

$185 $185

3.99%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$85.5 $85.5

-20.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$75.6 $75.6

-18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.92 $11.92

48.83%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,702 $1,702

-2.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

26.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$46.99 $46.99

40.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$33.23 $33.23

54.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$83.1 $83.1

20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$150 $150

-6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$656 $656

272.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$554 $554

202.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$994 $994

313.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,003 $1,003

164.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,801 $3,801

28.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.6

3.18%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Carbondale, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Carbondale, IL

$554 31.5% 67% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Carbondale, IL

$396 22.5% 11.8% $53

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Carbondale, IL

$288 16.4% 16.1% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Carbondale, IL

$346 19.7% 7.5% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Carbondale, IL

$141 8% 12.5% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Carbondale, IL

$9 * 0.5% 90.6% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Carbondale, IL

$24 * 1.4% 73.4% $66

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 $656 in Carbondale, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $38.00 in Carbondale, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $396 per month, with Carbondale, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Carbondale, IL

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

24,881

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Carbondale, IL 480 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 Carbondale, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carbondale, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Carbondale, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Chicago, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $656 in Carbondale, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL versus $1,759 in Carbondale, IL – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,759 in Carbondale, IL versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carbondale, IL but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Carbondale, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Carbondale, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,759 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Carbondale, IL hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Carbondale, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.