Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fairbanks, AK

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Fairbanks, AK: $3,139 and $3,000 a month, rent and utilities included.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
Learn more

Fairbanks, AK Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Fairbanks, AK $3,000

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,408 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Fairbanks, AK $4,408

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,816 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Fairbanks, AK $5,816

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Fairbanks, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Fairbanks, AK sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Fairbanks, AK by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$25.10 $25.10

-17.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$99.1 $99.1

-8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$15.27 $15.27

-15.26%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.07 $6.07

-7.74%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.68 $2.68

-1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.04 $2.04

11.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.83 $6.83

2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$10.07 $10.07

-12.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.13 $1.13

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$5.38 $5.38

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.78 $4.78

10.88%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.36 $4.36

9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$21.93 $21.93

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.66 $8.66

68.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$20.87 $20.87

-10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$7.54 $7.54

-31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.17 $2.17

-8.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.03 $6.03

-34.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.24 $6.24

-20.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.57 $3.57

-22.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.69 $3.69

-25.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.78 $2.78

-20.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.02 $2.02

47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$12.10 $12.10

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.20 $12.20

25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.77 $1.77

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.52 $1.52

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$40.60 $40.60

84.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.60 $3.60

-7.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.16 $2.16

-33.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$44.97 $44.97

-45.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.28 $1.28

-1.56%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

34.92%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.7K $24.7K

5.51%

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

$193 $193

$212 $212

-9.23%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$61.3 $61.3

11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$139 $139

-56.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$98.0 $98.0

-44.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$18.10 $18.10

-1.99%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,845 $1,845

-10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$59.4 $59.4

11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.78 $39.78

28.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$120 $120

-16.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$119 $119

18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,612 $1,612

51.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,381 $1,381

21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,580 $2,580

82.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,230 $2,230

25.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,244 $2,244

82.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,000 $2,000

32.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,941 $3,941

23.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.71

1.49%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46% 17.7% $297

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Fairbanks, AK

$466 * 15.5% 3.7% $17

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1% 14.3% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Fairbanks, AK

$413 13.8% 28.2% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1% 5.6% $8.9

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Fairbanks, AK

$61 2% 35.8% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Fairbanks, AK

$134 4.5% 49.8% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,612 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 23% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $466 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

07:40 7:40 AM

3 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

32,515

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Fairbanks, AK 4,490 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,500 in Fairbanks, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fairbanks, AK, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Fairbanks, AK. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.