Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Gallup, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Gallup, NM: $2,056 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Gallup, NM
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Gallup, NM Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Gallup, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,056

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Gallup, NM

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 Gallup, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,056 in Gallup, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Gallup, NM $2,056

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,041 in Gallup, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Gallup, NM $3,041

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,027 in Gallup, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Gallup, NM $4,027

Chicago, IL costs about 53% more than Gallup, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Gallup, NM sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Gallup, NM by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.33 $17.33

19.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$78.8 $78.8

14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.90 $11.90

8.74%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.50 $5.50

1.82%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.88 $2.88

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.39 $2.39

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.21 $6.21

12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.96 $6.96

26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.16 $1.16

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.24 $4.24

-10.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.65 $5.65

-6.19%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.24 $4.24

12.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$16.43 $16.43

-15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$20.86 $20.86

-29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.68 $16.68

12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.12 $6.12

-15.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.85 $3.85

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.79 $4.79

3.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.84 $2.84

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.07 $2.07

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.52 $1.52

46.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.43 $2.43

22.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.92 $10.92

28.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.88 $9.88

54.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.06 $2.06

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.22 $4.22

-17.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.84 $1.84

34.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.96 $2.96

12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.48 $1.48

-3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$27.71 $27.71

-12.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

32.95%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.03%

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

$193 $193

$199 $199

-2.97%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$45.36 $45.36

50.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$50.0 $50.0

22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.31 $44.31

22.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$17.67 $17.67

0.40%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,010 $1,010

63.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$15.3K $15.3K

102.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$37.53 $37.53

76.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$56.1 $56.1

-8.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$78.7 $78.7

27.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 $122

15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$909 $909

169.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$765 $765

119.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,387 $1,387

240.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,123 $1,123

148.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,818 $2,818

45.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,439 $2,439

8.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,353 $2,353

106.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

36.20%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gallup, NM: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Gallup, NM

$765 37.2% 54.4% $913

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Gallup, NM

$461 22.4% 2.7% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Gallup, NM

$306 14.9% 10.8% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Gallup, NM

$294 14.3% 8.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Gallup, NM

$132 6.4% 18% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Gallup, NM

$18 * 0.9% 81.4% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Gallup, NM

$80 3.9% 11.1% $9.9

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 $909 in Gallup, NM. 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 107% 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 $79.0 in Gallup, NM. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $461 in Gallup, NM – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gallup, NM

🕒 Local time

17:10 5:10 PM

16:10 4:10 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

21,605

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Gallup, NM 1,960 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Gallup, NM

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 Gallup, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,056 in Gallup, NM – roughly 53% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,084 in Gallup, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $79.0 in Gallup, NM. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Gallup, NM, where all-in costs run around $2,056, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Gallup, NM it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,056 in Gallup, NM to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Gallup, NM. 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.