Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Clemson, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Clemson, SC: $1,800 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Clemson, SC
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Clemson, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Clemson, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$1,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Clemson, SC

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 Clemson, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,800 in Clemson, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Clemson, SC $1,800

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,790 in Clemson, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Clemson, SC $2,790

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,781 in Clemson, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Clemson, SC $3,781

Chicago, IL costs about 77% more than Clemson, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Clemson, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Clemson, SC by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$14.84 $14.84

45.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$50.8 $50.8

74.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.02 $10.02

31.74%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.72 $4.72

18.43%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.34 $2.34

12.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.68 $1.68

34.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$3.89 $3.89

82.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$5.86 $5.86

57.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.86 $0.86

48.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.29 $3.29

16.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.84 $3.84

32.03%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.44 $3.44

40.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$10.09 $10.09

40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.82 $8.82

65.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$8.66 $8.66

116.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.56 $4.56

13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.39 $1.39

43.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.65 $4.65

7.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.75 $2.75

1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.52 $3.52

-24.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.18 $2.18

-2.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.73 $2.73

13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$7.10 $7.10

126.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.13 $15.13

0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.74 $1.74

50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.96 $3.96

-12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.92 $2.92

9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.41 $2.41

-42.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$39.86 $39.86

-37.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.80 $0.80

55.00%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$30.1K $30.1K

23.71%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.27%

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

$192 $192

$255 $255

-24.53%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$49.34 $49.34

37.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$49.90 $49.90

22.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$14.25 $14.25

24.91%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$638 $638

143.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$15.6K $15.6K

101.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$20.25 $20.25

235.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$14.70 $14.70

245.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$130 $130

-21.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$49.41 $49.41

190.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$844 $844

182.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$708 $708

141.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$1,598 $1,598

192.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,537 $1,537

78.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,546 $3,546

38.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.84

-1.02%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Clemson, SC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Clemson, SC

$708 39.4% 58.6% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Clemson, SC

$345 19.2% 23.6% $106

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Clemson, SC

$253 14% 28.4% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Clemson, SC

$354 19.7% 10.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Clemson, SC

$96 5.4% 41.1% $67

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Clemson, SC

$15 * 0.8% 84.2% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Clemson, SC

$29 * 1.6% 68% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $844 in Clemson, SC. 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 38% 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $51.0 in Clemson, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $345 – making Clemson, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Clemson, SC

🕒 Local time

11:17 11:17 AM

12:17 12:17 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

17,681

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Clemson, SC 900 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
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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 Clemson, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $1,800 in Clemson, SC – roughly 77% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,699 in Clemson, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Clemson, SC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $51.0 in Clemson, SC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Clemson, SC, where all-in costs run around $1,800, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Clemson, SC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,800 in Clemson, SC to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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