Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Concord, NC: $1,932 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Concord, NC
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Concord, NC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Concord, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$1,932

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,932 in Concord, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Concord, NC $1,932

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,166 in Concord, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Concord, NC $3,166

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,399 in Concord, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Concord, NC $4,399

Chicago, IL costs about 62% more than Concord, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Concord, NC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Concord, NC by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$15.83 $15.83

30.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$89.3 $89.3

1.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.86 $11.86

9.11%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.95 $6.95

-19.42%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.94 $2.94

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.29 $2.29

-0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.99 $7.99

-12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.12 $9.12

-3.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.73 $0.73

73.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.22 $3.22

18.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.51 $4.51

17.52%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.63 $3.63

31.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$6.73 $6.73

107.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$6.08 $6.08

140.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.96 $17.96

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.80 $6.80

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.32 $1.32

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.54 $6.54

-39.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.22 $2.22

123.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

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

$26.1K $26.1K

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

$193 $193

$141 $141

36.73%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$117 $117

-41.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$68.6 $68.6

-10.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.3 $50.3

7.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

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

$1,652 $1,652

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,271 $1,271

92.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$975 $975

72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,966 $1,966

139.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,136 $2,136

30.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,320 $2,320

76.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,329 $2,329

13.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,047 $4,047

20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Concord, NC: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Concord, NC

$975 50.5% 41.9% $703

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Concord, NC

$256 * 13.2% 43.1% $194

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Concord, NC

$325 16.8% 5.5% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Concord, NC

$326 16.9% 1.3% $4.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Concord, NC

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Concord, NC

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Concord, NC

$50 * 2.6% 43.8% $39

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 $1,271 in Concord, 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 20% 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 $89.0 in Concord, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $256 – making Concord, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Concord, NC

🕒 Local time

01:05 1:05 AM

02:05 2:05 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

42,695

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Concord, NC 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Concord, 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 Concord, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $1,932 in Concord, NC – roughly 62% 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 $2,898 in Concord, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Concord, NC, 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 $89.0 in Concord, NC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $1,932 in Concord, NC. That's a gap of about 62%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Concord, NC, where all-in costs run around $1,932, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Concord, NC 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 $1,932 in Concord, NC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Concord, NC. 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.