Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Durango, CO

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Durango, CO: $3,037 and $3,047 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Durango, CO
Learn more

Durango, CO Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Durango, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,047

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Durango, CO

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 Durango, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,047 in Durango, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Durango, CO $3,047

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,118 in Durango, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Durango, CO $4,118

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,189 in Durango, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Durango, CO $5,189

Chicago, IL and Durango, CO have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Durango, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Durango, CO by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.25 $15.25

35.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$58.9 $58.9

51.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.80 $7.80

69.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.62 $4.62

22.51%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.89 $2.89

-8.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.43 $2.43

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.14 $6.14

11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.76 $6.76

30.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.27 $3.27

13.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.30 $3.30

63.33%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.69 $4.69

1.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.04 $12.04

14.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.62 $9.62

49.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.95 $10.95

67.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.35 $4.35

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 $1.42

39.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.22 $4.22

-3.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.19 $5.19

-4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.22 $3.22

-17.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.21 $3.21

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.06 $2.06

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.86 $2.86

9.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.04 $11.04

25.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$4.06 $4.06

266.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.47 $2.47

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.52 $3.52

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.45 $30.45

141.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.70 $3.70

-14.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.98 $1.98

-29.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.02 $32.02

-21.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.83 $0.83

44.58%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.4K $29.4K

19.02%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.82%

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

$194 $194

$155 $155

25.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.9 $51.9

33.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.3 $68.3

-9.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$18.90 $18.90

153.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.90 $11.90

49.66%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,345 $1,345

33.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

25.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.1 $54.1

23.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.97 $42.97

21.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 $103

-1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,361 $2,361

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,926 $1,926

-18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,370 $3,370

40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,734 $2,734

-1.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,887 $4,887

-14.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,884 $4,884

-43.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,737 $4,737

4.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.36

7.08%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Durango, CO: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Durango, CO

$1.9K 63.2% 22.1% $348

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Durango, CO

$351 11.5% 21.6% $97

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Durango, CO

$266 8.7% 22.8% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Durango, CO

$275 9% 15.6% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Durango, CO

$143 4.7% 13% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Durango, CO

$44 * 1.5% 52.8% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Durango, CO

$43 1.4% 48.9% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,361 in Durango, CO. 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 4% 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 Durango, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $351 – making Durango, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Durango, CO

🕒 Local time

12:42 12:42 PM

11:42 11:42 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,071

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Durango, CO 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Durango, CO

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 Durango, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,571 in Durango, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,361 in Durango, CO. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

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

Public transport costs about 59% less in Durango, CO. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,047 in Durango, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,047 in Durango, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.