Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Carlsbad, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Carlsbad, NM: $2,193 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Carlsbad, NM
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Carlsbad, NM Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Carlsbad, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,193

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Carlsbad, NM

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 Carlsbad, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,193 in Carlsbad, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Carlsbad, NM $2,193

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,146 in Carlsbad, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Carlsbad, NM $3,146

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,098 in Carlsbad, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Carlsbad, NM $4,098

Chicago, IL costs about 38% more than Carlsbad, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Carlsbad, NM sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Carlsbad, NM by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.29 $17.29

19.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$45.36 $45.36

96.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.82 $11.82

11.59%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.70 $5.70

-0.70%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.51 $1.51

74.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.26 $1.26

80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.09 $5.09

34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.09 $7.09

24.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.80 $0.80

56.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.66 $3.66

1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.69 $3.69

46.07%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.61 $13.61

1.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.22 $12.22

17.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.73 $17.73

3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.20 $4.20

24.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.01 $2.01

-1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.41 $3.41

19.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.01 $4.01

23.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.30 $2.30

16.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.43 $2.43

9.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.80 $1.80

24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.90 $1.90

64.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.81 $10.81

27.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.93 $14.93

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.47 $2.47

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.63 $3.63

-3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.37 $2.37

34.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.42 $2.42

-42.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.92 $0.92

30.43%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.67%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.6K $24.6K

8.44%

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

$194 $194

$172 $172

13.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.0 $57.0

21.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.5 $75.5

-18.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.23 $41.23

16.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.99 $9.99

78.28%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$679 $679

164.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.9 $59.9

11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$32.36 $32.36

61.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.1 $84.1

20.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$99.9 $99.9

43.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,236 $1,236

104.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,005 $1,005

57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,972 $1,972

140.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,592 $1,592

69.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,019 $2,019

107.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,018 $2,018

37.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,175 $4,175

18.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.61

21.39%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Carlsbad, NM: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Carlsbad, NM

$1K 45.8% 36.3% $573

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Carlsbad, NM

$391 17.9% 12.5% $56

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Carlsbad, NM

$293 13.4% 15.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Carlsbad, NM

$304 13.9% 6.5% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Carlsbad, NM

$124 5.7% 24.2% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Carlsbad, NM

$14 * 0.7% 84.5% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Carlsbad, NM

$61 2.8% 26.7% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,236 in Carlsbad, NM. 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 18% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $45 in Carlsbad, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $391 – making Carlsbad, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Carlsbad, NM

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

15:50 3:50 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

114,746

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Carlsbad, NM 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Carlsbad, NM

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 Carlsbad, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,193 in Carlsbad, NM – Carlsbad, NM comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,290 in Carlsbad, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Carlsbad, NM, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,236 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $45 in Carlsbad, NM. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Carlsbad, NM, where all-in costs run around $2,193, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Carlsbad, NM it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Carlsbad, NM – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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