Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Moines, IA: $2,299 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 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
110

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,299

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,299 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Des Moines, IA $2,299

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,459 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Des Moines, IA $3,459

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,618 in Des Moines, IA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Des Moines, IA $4,618

Chicago, IL costs about 34% more than Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Des Moines, IA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Des Moines, IA by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.89 $19.89

2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$102 $102

-13.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.80 $11.80

8.90%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$6.54 $6.54

-11.62%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.97 $2.97

-7.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.47 $2.47

-8.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.05 $5.05

36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.65 $5.65

63.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.86 $0.86

46.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.01 $3.01

17.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.24 $3.24

66.05%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.88 $3.88

17.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$9.40 $9.40

45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$17.22 $17.22

-18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$18.91 $18.91

-4.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.25 $5.25

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.52 $1.52

30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.92 $4.92

-21.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.71 $3.71

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.31 $4.31

-34.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.24 $2.24

19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.76 $2.76

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.04 $3.04

-0.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.13 $10.13

37.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.81 $14.81

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.68 $1.68

56.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.93 $2.93

17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.71 $1.71

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$57.8 $57.8

30.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.99 $1.99

59.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.25 $1.25

36.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$19.83 $19.83

25.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.01 $1.01

26.73%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

33.13%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.90%

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

$192 $192

$191 $191

0.49%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$52.9 $52.9

31.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$77.2 $77.2

-19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$33.80 $33.80

41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$20.24 $20.24

33.89%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$9.86 $9.86

80.83%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,313 $1,313

38.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$14.6K $14.6K

178.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$77.0 $77.0

-14.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$56.1 $56.1

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$166 $166

-13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,218 $1,218

107.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$918 $918

76.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,058 $2,058

134.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,422 $1,422

92.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,418 $2,418

72.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,262 $2,262

20.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,788 $3,788

29.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.57

3.20%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Des Moines, IA

$918 40% 43.3% $703

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Des Moines, IA

$421 18.3% 4.2% $18

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Des Moines, IA

$331 14.4% 3.7% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Des Moines, IA

$321 14% 0.8% $2.6

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Des Moines, IA

$181 7.9% 10.4% $17

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.2% 24.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Des Moines, IA

$54 2.3% 35.8% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,218 in Des Moines, IA. 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 30% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $102 in Des Moines, IA. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $421 in Des Moines, IA – so Des Moines, IA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

16:16 4:16 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

214,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Des Moines, IA 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,299 in Des Moines, IA – Des Moines, IA comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,448 in Des Moines, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Des Moines, IA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,218 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $102 in Des Moines, IA. 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 $2,299 in Des Moines, IA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Des Moines, IA – 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 Des Moines, IA. 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.