Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Durham, NC: $2,423 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Durham, NC
Learn more

Durham, NC Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Durham, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,423 in Durham, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Durham, NC $2,423

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,700 in Durham, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Durham, NC $3,700

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,978 in Durham, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Durham, NC $4,978

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than Durham, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Durham, NC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Durham, NC by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.31 $15.31

35.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$106 $106

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.96 $9.96

32.43%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.79 $4.79

18.16%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.02 $3.02

-12.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.10 $2.10

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.18 $6.18

11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.12 $7.12

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.13 $1.13

10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.70 $4.70

-20.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.52 $4.52

19.25%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.45 $3.45

37.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$19.01 $19.01

-27.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.98 $16.98

-15.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.05 $17.05

7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.67 $5.67

-7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.83 $1.83

8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.90 $3.90

4.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.58 $4.58

8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.27 $2.27

17.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.90 $3.90

-31.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.75 $2.75

-18.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.96 $1.96

59.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.57 $8.57

61.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.23 $15.23

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.52 $1.52

67.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.01 $4.01

-12.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.96 $1.96

62.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.60 $0.60

131.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.9K $30.9K

13.38%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.42%

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

$194 $194

$226 $226

-14.04%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.8 $56.8

22.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.5 $71.5

-13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$51.5 $51.5

-6.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.36 $12.36

44.09%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,567 $1,567

14.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$45.29 $45.29

47.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.33 $35.33

47.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$90.7 $90.7

11.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$134 $134

7.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,502 $1,502

68.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,118 $1,118

41.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,272 $2,272

108.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,970 $1,970

36.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,463 $3,463

20.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,420 $2,420

14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,786 $4,786

3.03%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Durham, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Durham, NC

$1.1K 46.2% 29.2% $460

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Durham, NC

$456 18.8% 2% $8.8

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Durham, NC

$276 11.4% 20.1% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Durham, NC

$355 14.6% 8.9% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Durham, NC

$137 5.7% 16.3% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Durham, NC

$5 * 0.2% 94.7% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Durham, NC

$76 3.2% 8.7% $7.3

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 $1,502 in Durham, 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 3% 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 $106 in Durham, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $456 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Durham, NC

🕒 Local time

22:51 10:51 PM

23:51 11:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

283,506

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Durham, NC 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,423 in Durham, NC – Durham, NC comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,634 in Durham, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durham, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,502 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,567 in Durham, NC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,423 in Durham, NC. That makes Durham, NC about 20% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,423 in Durham, NC. 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 $2,423 in Durham, NC to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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