Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Goose Creek, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Goose Creek, SC: $2,471 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Goose Creek, SC
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Goose Creek, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Goose Creek, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Goose Creek, SC

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 Goose Creek, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,471 in Goose Creek, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Goose Creek, SC $2,471

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,428 in Goose Creek, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Goose Creek, SC $3,428

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,384 in Goose Creek, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Goose Creek, SC $4,384

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than Goose Creek, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Goose Creek, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Goose Creek, SC by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.15 $16.15

26.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$60.4 $60.4

46.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.89 $10.89

18.00%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.95 $4.95

16.77%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.73 $2.73

0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.03 $2.03

11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.06 $5.06

35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.95 $5.95

55.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.85 $0.85

48.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.02 $3.02

17.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.34 $3.34

61.08%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.82 $2.82

61.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.55 $12.55

8.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.76 $14.76

-4.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$13.56 $13.56

33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.40 $5.40

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 $1.45

36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.54 $4.54

-14.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.55 $4.55

6.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.73 $3.73

-24.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.12 $3.12

-14.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.97 $1.97

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.73 $1.73

75.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$7.89 $7.89

76.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.79 $11.79

27.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.42 $2.42

8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.75 $3.75

-8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.3 $59.3

27.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.52 $3.52

-9.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.53 $1.53

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.86 $24.86

0.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.88 $0.88

45.45%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

25.69%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.53%

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

$192 $192

$178 $178

7.61%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$67.3 $67.3

3.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$79.9 $79.9

-22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$44.01 $44.01

8.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$18.31 $18.31

48.01%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$10.57 $10.57

68.68%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$637 $637

184.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$13.1K $13.1K

211.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$47.33 $47.33

39.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$37.52 $37.52

36.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$83.2 $83.2

24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$98.7 $98.7

44.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,373 $1,373

84.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,223 $1,223

32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,948 $1,948

147.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,680 $1,680

62.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,080 $2,080

100.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,100 $2,100

29.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$2,974 $2,974

65.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.33

7.11%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Goose Creek, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Goose Creek, SC

$1.2K 49.5% 24.5% $398

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Goose Creek, SC

$381 15.4% 13.2% $58

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Goose Creek, SC

$278 11.2% 19.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Goose Creek, SC

$326 13.2% 0.6% $1.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Goose Creek, SC

$120 4.9% 26.6% $44

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Goose Creek, SC

$79 3.2% 18.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Goose Creek, SC

$65 2.6% 21.9% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,373 in Goose Creek, SC. 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 66% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $60 in Goose Creek, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $381 – making Goose Creek, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Goose Creek, SC

🕒 Local time

17:51 5:51 PM

18:51 6:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

35,938

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Goose Creek, SC 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Goose Creek, SC

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 Goose Creek, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,471 in Goose Creek, SC – Goose Creek, SC comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,707 in Goose Creek, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Goose Creek, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,373 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Goose Creek, SC. 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,471 in Goose Creek, SC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Goose Creek, SC – 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 Goose Creek, SC. 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.