Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cary, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cary, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,940 in Cary, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $4,386 in Cary, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,833 in Cary, NC.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 5% more expensive than Cary, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Cary, NC 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$17.88 $17.88

16.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$97.0 $97.0

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$10.43 $10.43

13.71%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.96 $4.96

12.90%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.00 $2.00

53.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.87 $1.87

32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.09 $5.09

40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.69 $6.69

20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.11 $1.11

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$5.47 $5.47

-24.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$6.28 $6.28

-10.67%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.75 $4.75

-5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$20.23 $20.23

-29.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$12.51 $12.51

19.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$17.92 $17.92

7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.52 $5.52

-6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.16 $4.16

5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$6.67 $6.67

-31.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.50 $2.50

1.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.45 $3.45

-20.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.95 $2.95

-17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.98 $1.98

32.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$9.36 $9.36

59.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$9.83 $9.83

50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.41 $2.41

2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.86 $4.86

-23.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.81 $1.81

37.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$59.5 $59.5

26.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.54 $3.54

-10.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.59 $1.59

-10.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$28.81 $28.81

-13.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.80 $0.80

32.50%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$29.3K $29.3K

8.98%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

-10.71%

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

$185 $185

$169 $169

9.39%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$50.3 $50.3

22.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$62.5 $62.5

7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$75.3 $75.3

-0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$13.58 $13.58

8.32%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,491 $1,491

35.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$23.5K $23.5K

67.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$48.21 $48.21

34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$31.94 $31.94

64.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$128 $128

-23.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$136 $136

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,765 $1,765

31.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,581 $1,581

0.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,668 $2,668

72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,748 $2,748

1.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,862 $2,862

37.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,652 $2,652

-1.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$5,996 $5,996

-12.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.31

4.60%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cary, NC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,765 in Cary, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $97.0 in Cary, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $467, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cary, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cary, NC is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cary, NC earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,765 in Cary, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,491 in Cary, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Chicago, IL pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Cary, NC is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Cary, NC is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cary, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.