Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Golden, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,466 in Golden, CO, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Golden, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Golden, CO
Learn more

Golden, CO Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Golden, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,466

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Golden, CO

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 Golden, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,466 in Golden, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Golden, CO $3,466

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,184 in Golden, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Golden, CO $3,184

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,903 in Golden, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Golden, CO $2,903

Chicago, IL is about 9% cheaper than Golden, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Golden, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Golden, CO by 156%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.35 $20.35

1.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$66.4 $66.4

35.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.87 $11.87

9.01%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.38 $5.38

4.09%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.70 $2.70

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.97 $1.97

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.89 $5.89

18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.21 $7.21

22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.91 $0.91

39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.27 $3.27

16.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.34 $4.34

22.12%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.02 $3.02

57.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$15.08 $15.08

-7.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.68 $13.68

6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.39 $17.39

7.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.48 $5.48

-5.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.50 $4.50

-12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.62 $4.62

7.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.42 $2.42

14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.60 $2.60

6.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.40 $2.40

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.97 $1.97

51.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.09 $10.09

38.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$19.31 $19.31

-20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.32 $3.32

-22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.73 $4.73

-26.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.68 $2.68

-7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.80 $3.80

-12.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.42 $1.42

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.66 $24.66

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.02 $1.02

23.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

25.79%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

-2.93%

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

$193 $193

$200 $200

-3.54%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$93.5 $93.5

-27.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$70.9 $70.9

-13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$60.4 $60.4

-10.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.20 $15.20

16.71%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,520 $1,520

8.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

25.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$57.7 $57.7

14.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$24.77 $24.77

106.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$82.3 $82.3

21.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$104 $104

35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,266 $2,266

7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,119 $2,119

-20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.72

1.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Golden, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Golden, CO

$2.1K 61.1% 26.3% $442

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Golden, CO

$424 12.2% 5.7% $26

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Golden, CO

$326 9.4% 5.2% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Golden, CO

$364 10.5% 13% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Golden, CO

$121 3.5% 25.1% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Golden, CO

$22 * 0.6% 77.2% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Golden, CO

$91 2.6% 1.3% $1.2

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 $2,266 in Golden, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $66.0 in Golden, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $424 – making Golden, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Golden, CO

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

18:26 6:26 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

20,399

💱 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 Golden, CO 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Golden, CO

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 Golden, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,466 in Golden, CO – roughly 10% 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 $5,199 in Golden, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, 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 $66.0 in Golden, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Golden, CO – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,466 in Golden, CO. 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,466 in Golden, CO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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