Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Casper, WY

For one person, living is cheaper in Casper, WY: $1,564 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Casper, WY
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Casper, WY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Casper, WY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,564

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Casper, WY

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 Casper, WY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL versus $1,564 in Casper, WY.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Casper, WY $1,564

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,631 in Chicago, IL versus $2,453 in Casper, WY.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Casper, WY $2,453

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,077 in Chicago, IL versus $3,342 in Casper, WY.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Casper, WY $3,342

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 104% more expensive than in Casper, WY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 136% above, Casper, WY 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$14.57 $14.57

48.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$47.84 $47.84

85.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$9.23 $9.23

43.01%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.26 $4.26

31.22%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.91 $2.91

-9.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.55 $2.55

-11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$5.06 $5.06

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$5.92 $5.92

55.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.01 $1.01

26.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.61 $1.61

138.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.25 $2.25

125.33%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.67 $3.67

31.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$15.67 $15.67

19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.28 $1.28

56.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$9.63 $9.63

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.75 $1.75

49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.98 $0.98

152.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.88 $0.88

40.91%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

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

$25.8K $25.8K

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

$192 $192

$104 $104

84.69%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$54.8 $54.8

23.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$117 $117

-48.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$54.3 $54.3

-1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$10.61 $10.61

67.77%

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

$1,554 $1,554

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$39.51 $39.51

28.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,083 $1,083

120.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$823 $823

107.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$1,544 $1,544

202.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,787 $1,787

53.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,885 $1,885

120.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,916 $1,916

40.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$4,173 $4,173

17.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.87

-1.46%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Casper, WY: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Casper, WY

$823 52.6% 51.9% $889

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Casper, WY

$113 * 7.2% 74.9% $338

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Casper, WY

$254 16.3% 27.9% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Casper, WY

$276 17.7% 13.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Casper, WY

$18 * 1.1% 89.1% $146

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Casper, WY

$3.9 * 0.3% 95.9% $91

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Casper, WY

$75 4.8% 15.4% $14

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 $2,383 in Chicago, IL and $1,083 in Casper, WY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 17% 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: $89.0 in Chicago, IL vs $48.00 in Casper, WY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $113 per month, with Casper, WY cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Casper, WY

🕒 Local time

20:03 8:03 PM

19:03 7:03 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

58,763

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Casper, WY 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Casper, WY

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 Casper, WY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Casper, WY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,083 in Casper, WY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 298% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Casper, WY – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,564 in Casper, WY versus $3,185 in Chicago, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Casper, WY but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Casper, WY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Casper, WY 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.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Casper, WY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Casper, WY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.