Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Columbus, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, IN: $2,080 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in Columbus, IN
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Columbus, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Columbus, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,080

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Columbus, IN

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 Columbus, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,080 in Columbus, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Columbus, IN $2,080

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,100 in Columbus, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Columbus, IN $3,100

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,121 in Columbus, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Columbus, IN $4,121

Chicago, IL costs about 51% more than Columbus, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Columbus, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Columbus, IN by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$15.24 $15.24

35.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$49.85 $49.85

81.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.04 $10.04

28.88%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.89 $4.89

14.52%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.24 $2.24

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.67 $1.67

35.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.47 $5.47

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.65 $7.65

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.93 $0.93

36.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.21 $3.21

18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.39 $3.39

56.34%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.34 $2.34

103.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.61 $12.61

10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.26 $11.26

29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$9.28 $9.28

102.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.52 $4.52

14.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.32 $1.32

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.40 $4.40

-10.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.44 $4.44

11.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.56 $2.56

7.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.16 $3.16

-12.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.99 $1.99

11.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.47 $0.47

534.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.09 $8.09

73.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.19 $15.19

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.07 $2.07

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.95 $2.95

18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.67 $3.67

-8.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.25 $1.25

14.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.62 $24.62

-1.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.87 $0.87

44.83%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.1K $36.1K

-3.03%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.16%

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

$193 $193

$151 $151

27.45%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$54.4 $54.4

25.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$73.4 $73.4

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.12 $44.12

22.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$35.65 $35.65

-21.68%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.84 $11.84

49.83%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,463 $1,463

12.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.6K $19.6K

58.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$45.49 $45.49

45.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.10 $40.10

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$86.5 $86.5

15.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$107 $107

31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,319 $1,319

85.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$997 $997

68.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,845 $1,845

155.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,774 $1,774

57.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,765 $1,765

132.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,715 $1,715

54.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,986 $3,986

22.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Columbus, IN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Columbus, IN

$997 48% 40.5% $680

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Columbus, IN

$331 15.9% 26.4% $119

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Columbus, IN

$269 12.9% 21.7% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Columbus, IN

$279 13.4% 13.4% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Columbus, IN

$126 6% 22.1% $36

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Columbus, IN

$9.9 * 0.5% 89.6% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Columbus, IN

$68 3.3% 24.3% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,319 in Columbus, IN. 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 22% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $50.0 in Columbus, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $331 – making Columbus, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Columbus, IN

🕒 Local time

10:30 10:30 AM

11:30 11:30 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

905,748

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Columbus, IN 330 km

From you

Chicago, IL
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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 Columbus, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,080 in Columbus, IN – roughly 51% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,120 in Columbus, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Columbus, IN, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $50.0 in Columbus, IN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Columbus, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,080, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Columbus, IN 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 $2,080 in Columbus, IN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Columbus, IN. 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.