Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cedar City, UT Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cedar City, UT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,420 in Cedar City, UT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,774 in Cedar City, UT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,129 in Cedar City, UT.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 27% more expensive than Cedar City, UT, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Cedar City, UT 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$24.12 $24.12

-13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$80.8 $80.8

21.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$14.78 $14.78

-19.76%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.39 $6.39

-12.36%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$4.57 $4.57

-32.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.97 $2.97

-16.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.07 $6.07

17.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$11.17 $11.17

-27.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.25 $1.25

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$4.06 $4.06

1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$3.75 $3.75

49.60%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$5.19 $5.19

-13.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$18.35 $18.35

-22.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.96 $15.96

-6.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$18.11 $18.11

5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.72 $8.72

-41.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.96 $2.96

-40.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$7.69 $7.69

-42.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.22 $3.22

41.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.85 $1.85

37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.20 $2.20

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.46 $2.46

-1.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.69 $2.69

-2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$12.88 $12.88

15.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$19.69 $19.69

-24.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.69 $1.69

45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$5.64 $5.64

-33.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.32 $3.32

-25.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$39.88 $39.88

89.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.42 $3.42

-7.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.58 $1.58

-10.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$28.70 $28.70

-13.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.91 $0.91

16.48%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$37.1K $37.1K

-14.01%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

3.75%

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

$185 $185

$169 $169

9.64%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$33.12 $33.12

86.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$57.6 $57.6

16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$43.33 $43.33

73.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$11.56 $11.56

27.25%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,272 $1,272

58.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$23.1K $23.1K

70.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$58.0 $58.0

11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$49.41 $49.41

6.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$101 $101

-2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$153 $153

-3.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,073 $1,073

115.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$956 $956

66.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,176 $2,176

111.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$1,895 $1,895

46.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,667 $2,667

47.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,694 $2,694

-3.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$3,550 $3,550

46.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

-5.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cedar City, UT: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,073 in Cedar City, UT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 47% 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: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $81.0 in Cedar City, UT. Groceries flip the comparison at $447 vs $497, 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 Cedar City, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cedar City, UT is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chicago, IL pays 47% more on average, 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,073 in Cedar City, UT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cedar City, UT runs roughly 89% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,020 in Chicago, IL versus $1,272 in Cedar City, UT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,420 in Cedar City, UT versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cedar City, UT but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Cedar City, UT the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cedar City, UT 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 Cedar City, UT 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 Cedar City, UT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.