Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Charlottesville, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Charlottesville, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,117 in Chicago, IL versus $3,364 in Charlottesville, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,601 in Chicago, IL versus $4,923 in Charlottesville, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,085 in Chicago, IL versus $6,481 in Charlottesville, VA.

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 7% less than in Charlottesville, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 134% above, Charlottesville, VA 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.18 $20.18

$22.46 $22.46

-10.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$122 $122

-17.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$13.20 $13.20

-8.41%

Cappuccino

$5.75 $5.75

$5.27 $5.27

9.11%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.85 $2.85

4.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.94 $1.94

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 $7.04

$5.93 $5.93

18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.27 $8.27

$6.05 $6.05

36.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.18 $1.18

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.46 $3.46

19.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.99 $6.99

-23.03%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$6.07 $6.07

-25.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$19.45 $19.45

-26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$19.60 $19.60

-23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$17.66 $17.66

6.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$7.81 $7.81

-34.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.86 $2.86

-40.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$8.24 $8.24

-48.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$11.08 $11.08

-60.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$4.91 $4.91

-47.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.78 $3.78

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.75 $2.75

-8.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.24 $3.24

-19.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 $14.91

$8.15 $8.15

82.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.32 $15.32

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.77 $1.77

38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.06 $2.06

20.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 $73.6

$152 $152

-51.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.47 $4.47

-25.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.48 $2.48

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.06 $25.06

$29.38 $29.38

-14.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.82 $0.82

28.05%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

25.15%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$24.7K $24.7K

7.41%

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

$187 $187

$287 $287

-34.72%

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

$63.6 $63.6

$53.3 $53.3

19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$109 $109

-39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 $77.1

$71.3 $71.3

8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 $12.92

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$15.50 $15.50

-2.26%

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

$2,029 $2,029

$1,438 $1,438

41.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.7K $38.7K

$23.9K $23.9K

61.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 $63.5

$48.27 $48.27

31.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$48.58 $48.58

7.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 $96.1

$93.2 $93.2

3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$119 $119

23.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 $2,343

$1,774 $1,774

32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 $1,623

$1,578 $1,578

2.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,601 $4,601

$2,962 $2,962

55.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,774 $2,774

$2,591 $2,591

7.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 $3,933

$2,768 $2,768

42.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,562 $2,562

$2,787 $2,787

-8.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,176 $5,176

$4,615 $4,615

12.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.32

4.43%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: June 14, 2026

Last update for Charlottesville, VA: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,343 in Chicago, IL and $1,774 in Charlottesville, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Chicago, IL vs $122 in Charlottesville, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $572 per month, with Chicago, IL 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 Charlottesville, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Charlottesville, VA differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($3,117 vs $3,364 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $2,343 in Chicago, IL versus $1,774 in Charlottesville, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $101 versus $122 in Charlottesville, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,117 per month in Chicago, IL versus $3,364 in Charlottesville, VA – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Charlottesville, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.