Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Gresham, OR

For one person, living is cheaper in Gresham, OR: $2,758 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Gresham, OR
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Gresham, OR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Gresham, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,758

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Gresham, OR

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 Gresham, OR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,758 in Gresham, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Gresham, OR $2,758

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,721 in Gresham, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Gresham, OR $3,721

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,684 in Gresham, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Gresham, OR $4,684

Chicago, IL costs about 10% more than Gresham, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Gresham, OR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Gresham, OR by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.35 $25.35

-18.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$83.7 $83.7

6.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.27 $12.27

7.50%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.08 $6.08

-6.91%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.94 $2.94

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.67 $1.67

36.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.40 $6.40

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.92 $6.92

27.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.21 $4.21

-11.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.18 $3.18

69.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.24 $4.24

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.08 $12.08

14.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.52 $10.52

36.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.30 $17.30

6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.47 $4.47

16.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.69 $2.69

50.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.55 $2.55

94.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.20 $2.20

21.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.79 $1.79

48.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.07 $2.07

8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.77 $1.77

76.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.12 $12.12

14.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.19 $11.19

32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.14 $2.14

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.44 $2.44

43.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.82 $2.82

-13.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.47 $4.47

-28.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.71 $0.71

95.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.91 $23.91

4.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.30 $1.30

-7.69%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.6K $28.6K

22.56%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-1.12%

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

$194 $194

$199 $199

-2.38%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$71.6 $71.6

-2.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$67.4 $67.4

-8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$30.12 $30.12

59.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.94 $11.94

49.16%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,335 $1,335

34.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$13.2K $13.2K

141.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.31 $40.31

66.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.49 $30.49

71.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.6 $84.6

20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$83.8 $83.8

71.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,626 $1,626

55.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,506 $1,506

4.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,825 $2,825

67.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,875 $1,875

43.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,984 $3,984

23.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.7

1.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gresham, OR: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Gresham, OR

$1.5K 54.6% 4.5% $72

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Gresham, OR

$356 12.9% 20.4% $91

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Gresham, OR

$377 13.7% 9.2% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Gresham, OR

$338 12.3% 3.9% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Gresham, OR

$108 3.9% 34.4% $56

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Gresham, OR

$19 * 0.7% 79.3% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Gresham, OR

$54 2% 35.3% $30

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 $1,626 in Gresham, OR. 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 24% 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 $84 in Gresham, OR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $356 – making Gresham, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Gresham, OR

🕒 Local time

20:20 8:20 PM

18:20 6:20 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

114,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Gresham, OR 2,810 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Gresham, OR

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 Gresham, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,758 in Gresham, OR – Gresham, OR comes out roughly 9% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,137 in Gresham, OR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gresham, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,626 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $84 in Gresham, OR. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Gresham, OR – 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 Gresham, OR. 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.