Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Centennial, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,179 in Centennial, CO, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 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
153

Cost of Living Index in Centennial, CO
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Centennial, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Centennial, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,179

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Centennial, CO

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 Centennial, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,179 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Centennial, CO $3,179

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,417 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Centennial, CO $4,417

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,655 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Centennial, CO $5,655

Chicago, IL is about 4% cheaper than Centennial, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Centennial, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Centennial, CO by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.97 $19.97

3.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$85.9 $85.9

3.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.96 $12.96

1.77%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.96 $5.96

-5.03%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.77 $2.77

-4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.23 $2.23

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.89 $6.89

-0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.04 $8.04

9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.12 $1.12

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.68 $4.68

-20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.64 $6.64

-18.83%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.04 $6.04

-21.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.58 $14.58

-5.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.45 $13.45

7.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.40 $19.40

-5.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.59 $5.59

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.18 $2.18

-9.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.71 $4.71

-13.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.21 $5.21

-4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.63 $2.63

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.30 $2.30

-2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.92 $1.92

63.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.66 $10.66

29.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.32 $19.32

-22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.73 $2.73

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.54 $3.54

-0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$5.48 $5.48

-55.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$88.9 $88.9

-17.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.75 $3.75

-15.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.38 $1.38

0.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.86 $24.86

0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.3K $30.3K

15.51%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.59%

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

$194 $194

$204 $204

-4.71%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$77.3 $77.3

-10.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.9 $73.9

-16.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$61.6 $61.6

-22.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$19.84 $19.84

37.80%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.02 $15.02

18.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,542 $1,542

16.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.4K $24.4K

31.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$60.2 $60.2

11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.78 $36.78

41.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$100 $100

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$132 $132

9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,850 $1,850

36.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,653 $1,653

-4.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,801 $2,801

69.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,253 $2,253

19.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,178 $3,178

31.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,893 $2,893

-4.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,397 $6,397

-22.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Centennial, CO: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Centennial, CO

$1.7K 52% 4.8% $75

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Centennial, CO

$469 14.7% 4.8% $21

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Centennial, CO

$341 10.7% 1.2% $4.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Centennial, CO

$355 11.2% 9.1% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Centennial, CO

$148 4.7% 9.7% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Centennial, CO

$121 3.8% 30% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Centennial, CO

$92 2.9% 9.7% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,850 in Centennial, CO. 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 30% higher in Centennial, CO. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $86 in Centennial, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $469 in Centennial, CO – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Centennial, CO

🕒 Local time

12:29 12:29 PM

11:29 11:29 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

109,741

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Centennial, CO 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Centennial, CO

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 Centennial, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,179 in Centennial, CO – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 4% 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 $4,768 in Centennial, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Centennial, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,850 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $86 in Centennial, CO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,179 in Centennial, CO. That makes Chicago, IL about 4% cheaper.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,179 in Centennial, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,179 in Centennial, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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