Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Hamilton, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamilton, MT: $2,220 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton, MT
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Hamilton, MT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Hamilton, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,220

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Hamilton, MT

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 Hamilton, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,220 in Hamilton, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Hamilton, MT $2,220

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,644 in Hamilton, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Hamilton, MT $3,644

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,068 in Hamilton, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Hamilton, MT $5,068

Chicago, IL costs about 38% more than Hamilton, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Hamilton, MT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Hamilton, MT by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$37.54 $37.54

-45.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$69.0 $69.0

28.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.34 $11.34

13.32%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.25 $5.25

10.10%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.71 $2.71

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.98 $1.98

14.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.12 $6.12

12.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.06 $7.06

30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.49 $3.49

1.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.56 $4.56

17.98%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.18 $4.18

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.30 $12.30

10.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$12.43 $12.43

13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$19.15 $19.15

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.96 $5.96

-13.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.84 $3.84

1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.63 $4.63

4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.77 $2.77

1.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.39 $3.39

-21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.10 $2.10

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.18 $2.18

38.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.94 $10.94

27.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.18 $15.18

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.13 $2.13

23.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.51 $3.51

-1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$62.3 $62.3

20.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.13 $3.13

1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.83 $1.83

-7.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$32.18 $32.18

-22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.03 $1.03

24.27%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.6K $29.6K

21.05%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.46%

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

$192 $192

$202 $202

-4.86%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$58.9 $58.9

18.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$89.5 $89.5

-30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.28 $40.28

18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.00 $13.00

37.15%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,307 $1,307

38.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$22.7K $22.7K

78.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$53.0 $53.0

24.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.47 $47.47

8.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$88.2 $88.2

17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$115 $115

24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,172 $1,172

115.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$713 $713

127.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,379 $2,379

102.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,802 $1,802

51.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,261 $2,261

84.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,356 $2,356

15.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,528 $3,528

39.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

7.29

-7.00%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Hamilton, MT: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Hamilton, MT

$713 32.1% 56% $908

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Hamilton, MT

$410 18.5% 6.7% $29

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Hamilton, MT

$461 20.8% 34% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Hamilton, MT

$350 15.8% 8.1% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Hamilton, MT

$137 6.2% 16.5% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Hamilton, MT

$83 3.7% 14.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Hamilton, MT

$66 3% 20.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,172 in Hamilton, MT. 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 40% 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 $69 in Hamilton, MT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $410 – making Hamilton, MT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hamilton, MT

🕒 Local time

20:14 8:14 PM

19:14 7:14 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

62,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Hamilton, MT 2,160 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Hamilton, MT

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 Hamilton, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,220 in Hamilton, MT – Hamilton, MT comes out roughly 28% 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 $3,330 in Hamilton, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hamilton, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,172 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $69 in Hamilton, MT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hamilton, MT, where all-in costs run around $2,220, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Hamilton, MT it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hamilton, MT – 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 Hamilton, MT. 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.