Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Gastonia, NC: $2,269 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Gastonia, NC
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Gastonia, NC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Gastonia, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,269 in Gastonia, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Gastonia, NC $2,269

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,581 in Gastonia, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Gastonia, NC $3,581

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,893 in Gastonia, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Gastonia, NC $4,893

Chicago, IL costs about 34% more than Gastonia, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Gastonia, NC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Gastonia, NC by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.81 $20.81

-0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.9 $50.9

75.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$5.62 $5.62

134.70%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.06 $4.06

39.41%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.91 $4.91

39.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.19 $8.19

7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.90 $0.90

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.96 $2.96

25.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.92 $2.92

84.59%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.69 $3.69

28.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.22 $12.22

13.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.76 $13.76

4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.35 $15.35

19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.18 $4.18

24.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 $1.50

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.09 $4.09

-0.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.77 $4.77

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.30 $2.30

16.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.94 $2.94

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.54 $2.54

-11.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.66 $1.66

88.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.71 $8.71

58.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.05 $15.05

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.83 $1.83

38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.04 $4.04

-13.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.42 $4.42

-28.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.04 $3.04

-54.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$34.31 $34.31

-27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.92 $0.92

30.43%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.7K $28.7K

22.20%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.05%

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

$194 $194

$181 $181

7.71%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.4 $64.4

7.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$74.2 $74.2

-16.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$27.85 $27.85

71.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.59 $11.59

53.67%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,570 $2,570

-30.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$11.9K $11.9K

167.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$35.52 $35.52

88.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$49.15 $49.15

6.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$71.1 $71.1

42.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$98.9 $98.9

45.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,301 $1,301

94.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,090 $1,090

44.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,803 $2,803

69.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,375 $2,375

13.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,314 $2,314

81.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,323 $2,323

19.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,021 $4,021

22.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.2

9.84%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gastonia, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Gastonia, NC

$1.1K 48% 31% $488

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Gastonia, NC

$377 16.6% 15.8% $71

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Gastonia, NC

$291 12.8% 15.7% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Gastonia, NC

$319 14.1% 2% $6.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Gastonia, NC

$115 5.1% 30.1% $49

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Gastonia, NC

$27 * 1.2% 70.7% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Gastonia, NC

$51 2.3% 38.9% $32

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 $1,301 in Gastonia, 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 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $51 in Gastonia, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $377 – making Gastonia, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gastonia, NC

🕒 Local time

08:45 8:45 AM

09:45 9:45 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

69,904

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Gastonia, NC 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,269 in Gastonia, NC – Gastonia, NC comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,404 in Gastonia, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gastonia, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,301 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $51 in Gastonia, NC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Gastonia, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Gastonia, NC 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 $2,269 in Gastonia, NC to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Gastonia, 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.