Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Greenwood, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Greenwood, SC: $2,599 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Greenwood, SC
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Greenwood, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Greenwood, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,599 in Greenwood, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Greenwood, SC $2,599

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,841 in Greenwood, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Greenwood, SC $3,841

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,082 in Greenwood, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Greenwood, SC $5,082

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Greenwood, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Greenwood, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Greenwood, SC by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$17.96 $17.96

20.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$75.4 $75.4

17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$11.21 $11.21

17.75%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.86 $5.86

-4.61%

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

$2.63 $2.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.15 $2.15

5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.14 $6.14

15.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$7.31 $7.31

26.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.68 $0.68

88.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.17 $4.17

-7.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.25 $3.25

56.00%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.41 $3.41

41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$16.71 $16.71

-15.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$16.01 $16.01

-8.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$18.45 $18.45

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.39 $5.39

-3.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.45 $1.45

37.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.67 $4.67

-14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.69 $4.69

6.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.72 $3.72

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.12 $3.12

-15.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.97 $1.97

8.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.33 $2.33

32.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$10.06 $10.06

59.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.70 $15.70

-3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.44 $2.44

7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.78 $3.78

-8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.97 $1.97

25.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.06 $3.06

4.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.81 $1.81

-23.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$29.41 $29.41

-14.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.78 $0.78

58.97%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$34.9K $34.9K

6.60%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.22%

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

$192 $192

$176 $176

9.16%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$67.1 $67.1

1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$75.4 $75.4

-19.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$41.59 $41.59

28.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$16.29 $16.29

9.27%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$670 $670

132.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$24.2K $24.2K

29.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$51.3 $51.3

32.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$36.97 $36.97

37.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$93.9 $93.9

8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$139 $139

2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,590 $1,590

49.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,287 $1,287

33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,487 $2,487

87.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,163 $2,163

26.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,547 $1,547

168.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,546 $1,546

74.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$5,444 $5,444

-10.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.48

4.48%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Greenwood, SC: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Greenwood, SC

$1.3K 49.5% 24.8% $425

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Greenwood, SC

$443 17% 1.8% $8.3

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Greenwood, SC

$312 12% 11.6% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Greenwood, SC

$319 12.3% 0.7% $2.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Greenwood, SC

$145 5.6% 11.5% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Greenwood, SC

$20 * 0.8% 79% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Greenwood, SC

$74 2.9% 16.8% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,590 in Greenwood, 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 11% higher in Greenwood, SC, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $75.0 in Greenwood, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $443 – making Greenwood, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Greenwood, SC

🕒 Local time

10:15 10:15 AM

11:15 11:15 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

15,205

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Greenwood, SC 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Greenwood, 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 Greenwood, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,599 in Greenwood, SC – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,899 in Greenwood, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Greenwood, SC, 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $75.0 in Greenwood, SC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $2,599 in Greenwood, SC. 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 $2,599 in Greenwood, SC to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. 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 Greenwood, SC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.