Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Haines, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Haines, AK: $2,570 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Haines, AK
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Haines, AK Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Haines, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Haines, AK

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 Haines, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,570 in Haines, AK, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Haines, AK $2,570

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,869 in Haines, AK, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Haines, AK $3,869

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,167 in Haines, AK, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Haines, AK $5,167

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Haines, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Haines, AK sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Haines, AK by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.66 $19.66

5.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.4 $80.4

10.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.06 $10.06

31.11%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.26 $5.26

7.60%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.05 $3.05

-13.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.80 $1.80

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.40 $5.40

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.89 $6.89

28.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.08 $4.08

-8.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.82 $3.82

41.10%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.00 $4.00

18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.76 $10.76

28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.90 $12.90

11.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.63 $19.63

-6.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.42 $4.42

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.83 $1.83

8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.27 $4.27

-4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.70 $4.70

5.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 $2.57

3.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.72 $2.72

-2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.86 $1.86

20.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.94 $1.94

61.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.27 $11.27

22.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.40 $16.40

-9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.16 $2.16

17.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.75 $3.75

-6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.13 $2.13

14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$52.5 $52.5

39.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.94 $2.94

8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.93 $1.93

-27.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.67 $32.67

-23.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.37 $1.37

-12.41%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

45.70%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.8K $27.8K

-4.08%

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

$194 $194

$197 $197

-1.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.3 $58.3

19.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.0 $70.0

-11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.43 $39.43

21.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.25 $14.25

24.98%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,277 $1,277

40.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

21.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.9 $56.9

17.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.05 $39.05

33.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.1 $99.1

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$97.9 $97.9

46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,543 $1,543

63.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,255 $1,255

25.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,861 $2,861

65.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,238 $2,238

20.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,139 $3,139

33.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,002 $2,002

38.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Haines, AK: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Haines, AK

$1.3K 48.8% 20.5% $323

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Haines, AK

$406 15.8% 9.2% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Haines, AK

$311 12.1% 9.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Haines, AK

$325 12.7% 0.1% $0.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Haines, AK

$132 5.1% 19.6% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Haines, AK

$74 2.9% 21.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Haines, AK

$68 2.6% 18.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,543 in Haines, AK. 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 $80 in Haines, AK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $406 – making Haines, AK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Haines, AK

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

08:07 8:07 AM

3 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

1,713

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Haines, AK 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Haines, AK

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 Haines, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,570 in Haines, AK – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,856 in Haines, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Haines, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,543 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Haines, AK. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,570 in Haines, AK. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Haines, AK is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 18% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.