Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fargo, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Fargo, ND: $2,127 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Fargo, ND
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Fargo, ND Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fargo, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,127

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Fargo, ND

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 Fargo, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,127 in Fargo, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fargo, ND $2,127

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,227 in Fargo, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fargo, ND $3,227

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,327 in Fargo, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fargo, ND $4,327

Chicago, IL costs about 43% more than Fargo, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Fargo, ND sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fargo, ND by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.17 $17.17

20.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.0 $59.0

51.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.95 $11.95

10.38%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.41 $5.41

4.62%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.56 $2.56

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.94 $1.94

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.36 $5.36

28.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.83 $8.83

0.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.23 $1.23

1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.40 $3.40

9.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$7.63 $7.63

-29.36%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.08 $4.08

16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.93 $14.93

-7.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.52 $15.52

-7.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$21.08 $21.08

-12.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$10.28 $10.28

-49.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.34 $2.34

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.51 $6.51

-37.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.40 $5.40

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.10 $5.10

-47.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.76 $3.76

-29.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.95 $1.95

14.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.74 $2.74

14.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.60 $8.60

60.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.58 $18.58

-19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.62 $2.62

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.63 $5.63

-37.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$42.10 $42.10

74.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.58 $4.58

-30.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.97 $0.97

23.71%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.4K $27.4K

28.03%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.26%

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

$194 $194

$138 $138

40.58%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.1 $58.1

19.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$56.5 $56.5

9.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$52.0 $52.0

-7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.96 $13.96

27.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,247 $1,247

43.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.85 $49.85

34.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.16 $47.16

10.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.2 $84.2

20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

42.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,013 $1,013

149.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$790 $790

99.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,627 $1,627

191.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,363 $1,363

97.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,459 $2,459

70.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,688 $1,688

63.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,858 $3,858

27.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fargo, ND: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fargo, ND

$790 37.1% 49.9% $788

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fargo, ND

$522 24.6% 16.7% $75

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fargo, ND

$300 14.1% 12.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fargo, ND

$253 11.9% 22.3% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fargo, ND

$127 6% 22.6% $37

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fargo, ND

$55 * 2.6% 41.3% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fargo, ND

$80 3.8% 4.4% $3.6

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 $1,013 in Fargo, ND. 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 28% 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 $59 in Fargo, ND. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $522 in Fargo, ND – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fargo, ND

🕒 Local time

02:12 2:12 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

90,056

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Fargo, ND 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Fargo, ND

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 Fargo, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,127 in Fargo, ND – Fargo, ND comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,191 in Fargo, ND. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fargo, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,013 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Fargo, ND. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,127 in Fargo, ND. 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 $2,127 in Fargo, ND to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Fargo, ND. 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.