Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cottonwood, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Cottonwood, AZ: $2,798 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Cottonwood, AZ
Learn more

Cottonwood, AZ Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Cottonwood, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,798

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Cottonwood, AZ

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 Cottonwood, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,798 in Cottonwood, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Cottonwood, AZ $2,798

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,939 in Cottonwood, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Cottonwood, AZ $3,939

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,079 in Cottonwood, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Cottonwood, AZ $5,079

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Cottonwood, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Cottonwood, AZ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Cottonwood, AZ by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.96 $19.96

2.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$59.4 $59.4

49.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.59 $14.59

-11.93%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.84 $5.84

-1.03%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.95 $1.95

40.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.01 $2.01

12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.97 $5.97

15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.01 $5.01

84.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.79 $0.79

59.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.08 $4.08

-12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.39 $4.39

22.55%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.90 $3.90

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.88 $13.88

-1.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.73 $11.73

19.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.60 $14.60

23.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.22 $5.22

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.92 $1.92

3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.30 $4.30

-9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.33 $5.33

-9.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.73 $1.73

62.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.13 $2.13

25.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.24 $2.24

-7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.51 $2.51

20.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.95 $10.95

26.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.15 $14.15

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.26 $2.26

16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.99 $2.99

15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.98 $4.98

-36.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.65 $1.65

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$36.29 $36.29

-31.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.23 $1.23

4.07%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$37.0K $37.0K

-3.25%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.93%

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

$192 $192

$222 $222

-13.37%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$74.7 $74.7

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$67.7 $67.7

-8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.07 $14.07

26.72%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,636 $1,636

10.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$28.7K $28.7K

41.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$60.4 $60.4

9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$46.88 $46.88

9.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$128 $128

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,624 $1,624

55.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,510 $1,510

7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,351 $2,351

105.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,346 $2,346

16.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,067 $3,067

35.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,949 $2,949

-7.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$2,719 $2,719

81.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

13.00%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Cottonwood, AZ: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Cottonwood, AZ

$1.5K 54% 6.9% $112

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Cottonwood, AZ

$402 14.4% 8.6% $38

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Cottonwood, AZ

$329 11.8% 4.3% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Cottonwood, AZ

$364 13% 12.4% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Cottonwood, AZ

$152 5.4% 7% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Cottonwood, AZ

$13 * 0.5% 86.3% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Cottonwood, AZ

$28 * 1% 66.3% $55

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,624 in Cottonwood, AZ. 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 81% 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 $59 in Cottonwood, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $402 – making Cottonwood, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Cottonwood, AZ

🕒 Local time

18:58 6:58 PM

17:58 5:58 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

12,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Cottonwood, AZ 2,260 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Cottonwood, AZ

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 Cottonwood, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,798 in Cottonwood, AZ – Cottonwood, AZ comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,197 in Cottonwood, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cottonwood, AZ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,624 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Cottonwood, AZ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,798 in Cottonwood, AZ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cottonwood, AZ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cottonwood, AZ. 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.