Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Chapel Hill, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Chapel Hill, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,640 in Chapel Hill, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,962 in Chapel Hill, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $5,284 in Chapel Hill, NC.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 17% more expensive than Chapel Hill, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Chapel Hill, NC 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$15.13 $15.13

38.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$80.1 $80.1

22.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$9.90 $9.90

19.80%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.25 $4.25

31.76%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.43 $2.43

26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.89 $1.89

30.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.98 $5.98

19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.84 $6.84

18.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.88 $0.88

19.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.26 $4.26

31.69%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.47 $4.47

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$16.88 $16.88

-15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$14.38 $14.38

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$11.95 $11.95

60.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.79 $5.79

-11.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.50 $1.50

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.78 $5.78

-24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.09 $4.09

11.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.72 $2.72

-6.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.81 $2.81

-2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.73 $1.73

39.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.72 $1.72

52.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$6.90 $6.90

116.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$12.80 $12.80

15.63%

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

$2.37 $2.37

57.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.04 $2.04

21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.95 $2.95

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.83 $1.83

-22.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$29.70 $29.70

-16.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.86 $0.86

23.26%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$28.3K $28.3K

12.68%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

4.22%

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

$185 $185

$140 $140

32.33%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$55.6 $55.6

11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$72.9 $72.9

-8.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.15 $42.15

78.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$9.88 $9.88

48.89%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$1,318 $1,318

53.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$24.4K $24.4K

61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$49.40 $49.40

30.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$30.26 $30.26

73.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$87.0 $87.0

12.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$81.9 $81.9

80.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,324 $1,324

74.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,457 $1,457

9.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$3,427 $3,427

34.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,709 $2,709

2.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,683 $2,683

46.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,740 $2,740

-4.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

$5,464 $5,464

-4.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.54

0.92%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chapel Hill, NC: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,324 in Chapel Hill, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chapel Hill, NC pays 5% 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 $80.0 in Chapel Hill, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $405 per month, with Chapel Hill, NC cheaper across the board.

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 Chapel Hill, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chapel Hill, NC wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chapel Hill, NC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chapel Hill, NC earns 5% 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 $1,324 in Chapel Hill, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,077 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,640 in Chapel Hill, NC – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,640 in Chapel Hill, NC versus $3,077 in Chicago, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chapel Hill, NC but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Chapel Hill, NC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chapel Hill, NC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,640 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chapel Hill, NC hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chapel Hill, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.