Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Crookston, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Crookston, MN: $2,596 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Crookston, MN
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Crookston, MN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Crookston, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,596

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Crookston, MN

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 Crookston, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,596 in Crookston, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Crookston, MN $2,596

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,818 in Crookston, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Crookston, MN $3,818

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,039 in Crookston, MN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Crookston, MN $5,039

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Crookston, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Crookston, MN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Crookston, MN by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.00 $20.00

1.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$72.1 $72.1

22.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.15 $12.15

5.76%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.42 $5.42

6.64%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.49 $2.49

10.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.19 $2.19

3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.68 $6.68

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.15 $7.15

29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.47 $3.47

2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.28 $4.28

25.70%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.28 $4.28

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.35 $12.35

10.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.85 $11.85

18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.16 $17.16

5.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.04 $5.04

2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.60 $1.60

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.30 $4.30

-9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.78 $4.78

1.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.52 $2.52

11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.97 $2.97

-10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.10 $2.10

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.26 $2.26

34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.33 $9.33

48.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.79 $14.79

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.00 $2.00

31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.41 $3.41

1.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.2 $59.2

27.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.18 $3.18

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.77 $1.77

-3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$34.47 $34.47

-27.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.03 $1.03

24.27%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.1K $28.1K

27.25%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

1.31%

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

$192 $192

$203 $203

-5.17%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$57.6 $57.6

20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$70.5 $70.5

-11.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.80 $39.80

20.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.27 $14.27

24.95%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,376 $1,376

31.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.5K $20.5K

97.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$52.7 $52.7

25.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$41.41 $41.41

24.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.3 $88.3

17.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$112 $112

26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,614 $1,614

56.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,259 $1,259

28.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,576 $2,576

87.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,123 $2,123

28.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,820 $2,820

47.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,354 $2,354

15.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,503 $3,503

40.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Crookston, MN: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Crookston, MN

$1.3K 48.5% 22.3% $362

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Crookston, MN

$398 15.3% 9.4% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Crookston, MN

$328 12.6% 4.7% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Crookston, MN

$331 12.7% 2.1% $6.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Crookston, MN

$133 5.1% 18.9% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Crookston, MN

$79 3.1% 18% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Crookston, MN

$68 2.6% 18.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,614 in Crookston, MN. 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 41% 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 $72 in Crookston, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $398 – making Crookston, MN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Crookston, MN

🕒 Local time

06:03 6:03 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

7,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Crookston, MN 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Crookston, MN

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 Crookston, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,596 in Crookston, MN – Crookston, MN comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,893 in Crookston, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Crookston, MN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,614 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $72 in Crookston, MN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,596 in Crookston, MN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Crookston, MN – 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 Crookston, MN. 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.