Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbia, SC: $2,193 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Columbia, SC
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Columbia, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Columbia, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,193

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Columbia, 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 Columbia, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,193 in Columbia, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Columbia, SC $2,193

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,366 in Columbia, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Columbia, SC $3,366

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,538 in Columbia, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Columbia, SC $4,538

Chicago, IL costs about 38% more than Columbia, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Columbia, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Columbia, SC by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.80 $19.80

4.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.1 $61.1

46.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.97 $11.97

10.19%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.42 $5.42

4.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.80 $2.80

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.18 $2.18

4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.43 $5.43

26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.39 $6.39

38.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.84 $0.84

48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.53 $2.53

47.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.52 $4.52

19.25%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.03 $4.03

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.49 $10.49

31.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.14 $11.14

29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.89 $15.89

15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.26 $5.26

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.45 $6.45

-37.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.17 $6.17

-19.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.10 $3.10

-13.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.36 $4.36

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.01 $2.01

11.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.79 $1.79

74.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.40 $8.40

64.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.62 $15.62

-4.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.83 $1.83

38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.68 $2.68

30.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$40.15 $40.15

83.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.98 $1.98

60.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.59 $1.59

-12.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$17.89 $17.89

39.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

30.68%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.84%

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

$194 $194

$277 $277

-29.88%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.2 $60.2

15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$63.8 $63.8

-3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.47 $34.47

38.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$18.22 $18.22

50.05%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.22 $15.22

17.02%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,117 $1,117

60.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$22.9K $22.9K

39.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.3 $52.3

28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.57 $39.57

31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$82.2 $82.2

23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$114 $114

25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,430 $1,430

76.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$832 $832

89.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,198 $3,198

48.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,672 $1,672

61.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,313 $2,313

81.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,668 $1,668

65.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,240 $3,240

52.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Columbia, SC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Columbia, SC

$832 37.9% 47.3% $746

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Columbia, SC

$389 17.7% 13.1% $59

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Columbia, SC

$319 14.6% 7.5% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Columbia, SC

$401 18.3% 23.3% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Columbia, SC

$130 5.9% 20.9% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Columbia, SC

$58 2.6% 37.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Columbia, SC

$65 3% 22.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,430 in Columbia, 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 52% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $61 in Columbia, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $389 – making Columbia, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Columbia, SC

🕒 Local time

16:18 4:18 PM

17:18 5:18 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

139,698

💱 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 Columbia, SC 1,050 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Columbia, SC

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 Columbia, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,193 in Columbia, SC – Columbia, SC comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,290 in Columbia, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Columbia, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,430 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Columbia, SC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Columbia, SC, where all-in costs run around $2,193, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Columbia, 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 $2,193 in Columbia, SC to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Columbia, SC. 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.