Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,125 in Helena, MT, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Helena, MT outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
151

Cost of Living Index in Helena, MT
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Helena, MT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Helena, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,125

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,125 in Helena, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Helena, MT $3,125

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,583 in Helena, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Helena, MT $4,583

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,041 in Helena, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Helena, MT $6,041

Chicago, IL is about 3% cheaper than Helena, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and Helena, MT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Helena, MT by 130%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$21.55 $21.55

-3.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$109 $109

-17.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$18.11 $18.11

-27.17%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.24 $5.24

8.02%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.21 $2.21

19.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.73 $1.73

31.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.96 $4.96

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.83 $6.83

29.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.88 $3.88

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.59 $4.59

17.43%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.59 $3.59

32.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$18.05 $18.05

-23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.87 $8.87

62.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$20.02 $20.02

-8.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.67 $4.67

11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.74 $1.74

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.60 $4.60

-11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.13 $4.13

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.16 $2.16

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.48 $1.48

79.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.71 $1.71

30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.61 $1.61

94.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.45 $10.45

32.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.98 $12.98

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.73 $1.73

46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.58 $2.58

36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.53 $3.53

-31.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$59.8 $59.8

22.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$10.13 $10.13

-68.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.51 $3.51

-60.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$44.22 $44.22

-43.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.4K $35.4K

-1.15%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$30.0K $30.0K

-11.13%

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

$194 $194

$375 $375

-48.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.2 $68.2

1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$85.3 $85.3

-27.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$51.6 $51.6

-7.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$15.28 $15.28

78.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.11 $12.11

47.07%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,930 $1,930

-7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$27.8K $27.8K

14.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$65.1 $65.1

2.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$120 $120

-56.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.9 $81.9

23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$124 $124

16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,768 $1,768

42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,511 $1,511

4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,837 $2,837

67.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,543 $2,543

5.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,528 $3,528

18.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,009 $3,009

-8.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,363 $6,363

-22.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Helena, MT: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Helena, MT

$1.5K 48.4% 4.2% $67

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Helena, MT

$389 12.4% 13.1% $59

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Helena, MT

$344 11% 0.3% $1.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Helena, MT

$528 16.9% 62.3% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Helena, MT

$176 5.6% 7.1% $12

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Helena, MT

$102 3.3% 8.8% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Helena, MT

$76 2.4% 9.2% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,768 in Helena, 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 29% higher in Helena, MT. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $109 in Helena, MT. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $389 in Helena, MT – so Helena, MT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Helena, MT

🕒 Local time

11:33 11:33 AM

10:33 10:33 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

32,091

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Helena, MT 2,010 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Helena, 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 Helena, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,125 in Helena, MT – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 3% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,688 in Helena, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Helena, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,768 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Helena, MT – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $109 in Helena, MT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,125 in Helena, MT. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,125 in Helena, MT. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Helena, MT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.