Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fairmont, WV

For one person, living is cheaper in Fairmont, WV: $1,839 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 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
89

Cost of Living Index in Fairmont, WV
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Fairmont, WV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Fairmont, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Fairmont, WV

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 Fairmont, WV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,839 in Fairmont, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Fairmont, WV $1,839

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,695 in Fairmont, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Fairmont, WV $2,695

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,551 in Fairmont, WV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Fairmont, WV $3,551

Chicago, IL costs about 67% more than Fairmont, WV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Fairmont, WV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Fairmont, WV by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$15.20 $15.20

34.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$67.7 $67.7

30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.72 $9.72

32.20%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$3.59 $3.59

61.00%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.55 $2.55

7.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.95 $1.95

15.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.90 $4.90

40.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.15 $8.15

13.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.94 $0.94

34.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.53 $3.53

0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.05 $1.05

412.38%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$1.80 $1.80

152.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$5.63 $5.63

142.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$6.65 $6.65

111.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$10.99 $10.99

64.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.46 $4.46

15.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.19 $2.19

77.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.24 $2.24

115.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.98 $1.98

41.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.61 $3.61

-26.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.99 $0.99

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.17 $1.17

158.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$6.80 $6.80

104.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.18 $15.18

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.71 $1.71

53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.58 $3.58

-3.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.72 $1.72

41.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$52.9 $52.9

42.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.18 $3.18

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.92 $1.92

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$27.37 $27.37

-9.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.90 $0.90

42.22%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.9K $19.9K

79.74%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.22%

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

$192 $192

$156 $156

22.73%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$41.10 $41.10

69.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$67.3 $67.3

-7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.92 $39.92

19.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$7.59 $7.59

134.91%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,042 $1,042

74.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$13.1K $13.1K

211.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$25.05 $25.05

164.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$27.98 $27.98

83.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.3 $88.3

17.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$133 $133

7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$975 $975

159.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$804 $804

101.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,506 $1,506

220.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,259 $1,259

117.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,306 $1,306

218.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,310 $1,310

107.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,410 $4,410

11.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

35.60%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Fairmont, WV: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Fairmont, WV

$804 43.7% 50.4% $817

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Fairmont, WV

$267 14.5% 39.3% $172

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Fairmont, WV

$253 13.7% 26.5% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Fairmont, WV

$265 14.4% 18.2% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Fairmont, WV

$123 6.7% 24.7% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Fairmont, WV

$73 3.9% 25% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Fairmont, WV

$55 3% 34% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $975 in Fairmont, WV. 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 12% 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 $68 in Fairmont, WV. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $267 – making Fairmont, WV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fairmont, WV

🕒 Local time

12:16 12:16 PM

13:16 1:16 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,145

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Fairmont, WV 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Fairmont, WV

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 Fairmont, WV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $1,839 in Fairmont, WV – Fairmont, WV comes out roughly 40% 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 $2,758 in Fairmont, WV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fairmont, WV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $975 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $68 in Fairmont, WV. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Fairmont, WV, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Fairmont, WV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fairmont, WV – 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 Fairmont, WV. 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.