Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Charlotte, NC: $2,687 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Charlotte, NC
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Charlotte, NC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Charlotte, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,687

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Charlotte, NC

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 Charlotte, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,687 in Charlotte, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Charlotte, NC $2,687

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,002 in Charlotte, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Charlotte, NC $4,002

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,317 in Charlotte, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Charlotte, NC $5,317

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Charlotte, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Charlotte, NC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Charlotte, NC by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.95 $17.95

15.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$74.0 $74.0

20.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.21 $11.21

17.66%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.68 $5.68

-0.35%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.59 $2.59

1.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.25 $2.25

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.02 $6.02

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.39 $7.39

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.96 $0.96

30.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.06 $4.06

-8.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.33 $3.33

61.86%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.42 $4.42

7.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.42 $16.42

-15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.66 $15.66

-8.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.21 $18.21

0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.47 $5.47

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 $1.42

39.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.70 $4.70

-13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.68 $4.68

6.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.69 $3.69

-27.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.08 $3.08

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.00 $2.00

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.34 $2.34

33.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.52 $8.52

62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.66 $15.66

-4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.43 $2.43

4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.69 $3.69

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.25 $2.25

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$87.8 $87.8

-16.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.03 $3.03

4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.84 $1.84

-24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.47 $29.47

-15.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.7K $34.7K

1.11%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.83%

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

$194 $194

$176 $176

10.45%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.9 $68.9

0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$82.3 $82.3

-25.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$51.6 $51.6

-7.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$15.03 $15.03

81.90%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.14 $16.14

10.35%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,475 $1,475

21.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.3K $24.3K

31.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.2 $50.2

33.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.83 $36.83

41.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$94.4 $94.4

7.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$141 $141

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,872 $1,872

34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,266 $1,266

24.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,296 $3,296

43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,176 $2,176

23.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,123 $4,123

1.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,400 $2,400

15.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,367 $4,367

12.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.48

5.09%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Charlotte, NC: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Charlotte, NC

$1.3K 47.1% 19.8% $312

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Charlotte, NC

$446 16.6% 0.4% $1.6

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Charlotte, NC

$310 11.5% 10.2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Charlotte, NC

$327 12.2% 0.5% $1.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Charlotte, NC

$145 5.4% 11.6% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Charlotte, NC

$109 4.1% 16.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Charlotte, NC

$84 3.1% 0.5% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,872 in Charlotte, NC. 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Charlotte, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $446 – making Charlotte, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Charlotte, NC

🕒 Local time

02:07 2:07 AM

03:07 3:07 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

911,311

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Charlotte, NC 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Charlotte, NC

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 Charlotte, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,030 in Charlotte, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Charlotte, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,872 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Charlotte, NC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,687 in Charlotte, NC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Charlotte, NC – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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