Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Grand Junction, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Grand Junction, CO: $2,633 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Grand Junction, CO
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Grand Junction, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Grand Junction, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,633

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,633 in Grand Junction, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Grand Junction, CO $2,633

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,772 in Grand Junction, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Grand Junction, CO $3,772

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,911 in Grand Junction, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Grand Junction, CO $4,911

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Grand Junction, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Grand Junction, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Grand Junction, CO by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.87 $19.87

4.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$60.0 $60.0

48.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.17 $14.17

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.68 $5.68

-0.35%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.62 $2.62

0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.89 $1.89

20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.87 $5.87

17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.14 $6.14

43.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.91 $0.91

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.09 $3.09

20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.55 $6.55

-17.71%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.49 $4.49

5.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$21.82 $21.82

-36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.47 $9.47

52.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.14 $15.14

21.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.46 $5.46

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.47 $1.47

34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.08 $7.08

-42.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.66 $3.66

35.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.64 $2.64

1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.23 $2.23

19.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.11 $2.11

6.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.22 $2.22

40.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.97 $10.97

25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.04 $15.04

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.98 $1.98

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.89 $3.89

-9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.85 $3.85

-36.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$44.67 $44.67

64.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.99 $2.99

-53.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$42.2K $42.2K

-16.94%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$37.9K $37.9K

-29.69%

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

$194 $194

$169 $169

14.95%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$81.9 $81.9

-15.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.8 $72.8

-15.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.80 $36.80

30.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$17.59 $17.59

55.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.06 $15.06

18.26%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,151 $1,151

55.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.85 $49.85

34.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$25.86 $25.86

101.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$83.9 $83.9

20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$99.6 $99.6

44.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,633 $1,633

54.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,301 $1,301

21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,264 $2,264

109.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,017 $2,017

33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,053 $3,053

37.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,992 $2,992

-7.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,122 $4,122

19.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.91

-1.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Grand Junction, CO: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Grand Junction, CO

$1.3K 49.4% 17.5% $277

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Grand Junction, CO

$420 16% 6% $27

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Grand Junction, CO

$329 12.5% 4.5% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Grand Junction, CO

$324 12.3% 0.5% $1.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Grand Junction, CO

$117 4.4% 28.9% $47

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Grand Junction, CO

$75 * 2.9% 19.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Grand Junction, CO

$67 2.5% 19.9% $17

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 $1,633 in Grand Junction, CO. 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 20% 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 Grand Junction, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $420 – making Grand Junction, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Grand Junction, CO

🕒 Local time

00:10 12:10 AM

23:10 11:10 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

65,560

💱 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 Grand Junction, CO 1,790 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Grand Junction, 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 Grand Junction, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,633 in Grand Junction, CO – Grand Junction, CO comes out roughly 13% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,950 in Grand Junction, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Grand Junction, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,633 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 Grand Junction, CO. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,633 in Grand Junction, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Grand Junction, CO – 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 Grand Junction, CO. 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.