Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Grand Island, NE

For one person, living is cheaper in Grand Island, NE: $2,620 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Grand Island, NE
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Grand Island, NE Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Grand Island, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,620

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Grand Island, NE

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 Grand Island, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,620 in Grand Island, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Grand Island, NE $2,620

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,811 in Grand Island, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Grand Island, NE $3,811

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,002 in Grand Island, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Grand Island, NE $5,002

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Grand Island, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Grand Island, NE sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Grand Island, NE by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$18.79 $18.79

8.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$75.2 $75.2

17.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.87 $10.87

18.22%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.98 $4.98

16.06%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.51 $2.51

9.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.94 $1.94

16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.87 $5.87

17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.86 $6.86

34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.45 $3.45

2.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.23 $4.23

27.19%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.06 $4.06

12.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.24 $12.24

11.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.65 $11.65

20.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.63 $15.63

15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.76 $4.76

8.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.56 $1.56

26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.32 $4.32

-10.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.73 $4.73

2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.78 $2.78

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.86 $2.86

-6.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.03 $2.03

1.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.17 $2.17

39.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.68 $9.68

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.25 $14.25

5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.80 $1.80

46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.38 $3.38

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$58.8 $58.8

27.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.48 $3.48

-8.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.59 $1.59

6.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$28.78 $28.78

-13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.83 $0.83

54.22%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.2K $29.2K

22.45%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.55%

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

$192 $192

$190 $190

1.06%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$51.9 $51.9

34.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$66.2 $66.2

-5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$42.38 $42.38

12.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.29 $13.29

34.16%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,313 $1,313

38.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$23.8K $23.8K

70.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$51.6 $51.6

28.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$40.24 $40.24

27.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$87.7 $87.7

17.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$110 $110

29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,615 $1,615

56.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,345 $1,345

20.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,598 $2,598

85.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,180 $2,180

25.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,798 $2,798

48.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,492 $2,492

9.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.51

4.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Grand Island, NE: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Grand Island, NE

$1.3K 51.3% 17% $276

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Grand Island, NE

$386 14.7% 12.1% $53

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Grand Island, NE

$304 11.6% 11.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Grand Island, NE

$308 11.8% 4.9% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Grand Island, NE

$130 5% 20.2% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Grand Island, NE

$78 3% 19.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Grand Island, NE

$69 2.6% 17.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,615 in Grand Island, NE. 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $75 in Grand Island, NE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $386 – making Grand Island, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Grand Island, NE

🕒 Local time

08:40 8:40 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

44,632

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Grand Island, NE 900 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Grand Island, NE

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 Grand Island, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,620 in Grand Island, NE – Grand Island, NE comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,930 in Grand Island, NE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Grand Island, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,615 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Grand Island, NE. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,620 in Grand Island, NE. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Grand Island, NE – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Grand Island, NE is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 15% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.