Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Henderson, NV

For one person, living is cheaper in Henderson, NV: $2,672 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL, United States
Henderson, NV, United States
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Henderson, NV
🇺🇸 United States
$2,672
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Henderson, NV

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 Henderson, NV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,672 in Henderson, NV, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,037
  • Henderson, NV $2,672

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,763 in Henderson, NV, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,518
  • Henderson, NV $3,763

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,853 in Henderson, NV, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $5,999
  • Henderson, NV $4,853

Chicago, IL costs about 14% more than Henderson, NV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Henderson, NV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Henderson, NV by 96%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.71 $20.71
$20.03 $20.03
3.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.2 $89.2
$65.9 $65.9
35.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 $13.19
$10.19 $10.19
29.44%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$4.73 $4.73
19.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.68 $2.68
-1.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$1.97 $1.97
15.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.87 $6.87
$6.87 $6.87
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.84 $8.84
$6.03 $6.03
46.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 $1.25
$1.25 $1.25
-
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$3.51 $3.51
5.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$3.10 $3.10
73.87%
Eggs
$4.74 $4.74
$3.71 $3.71
27.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.84 $13.84
$9.64 $9.64
43.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.40 $14.40
$7.67 $7.67
87.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 $18.38
$12.36 $12.36
48.71%
Apples (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$4.51 $4.51
15.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.70 $1.70
16.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$8.06 $8.06
-49.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$4.44 $4.44
11.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$3.45 $3.45
-22.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.30 $1.30
104.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.85 $1.85
21.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$1.52 $1.52
105.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 $13.82
$10.24 $10.24
34.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$14.05 $14.05
5.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.76 $1.76
44.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 $3.51
$1.57 $1.57
123.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.43 $2.43
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.5 $73.5
$64.2 $64.2
14.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 $3.18
$3.58 $3.58
-11.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 $1.39
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.03 $25.03
$40.14 $40.14
-37.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.29 $1.29
-6.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$28.3K $28.3K
23.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$27.2K $27.2K
-1.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 $194
$228 $228
-14.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$45.85 $45.85
51.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.6 $61.6
$65.4 $65.4
-5.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.90 $47.90
$15.03 $15.03
218.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.34 $27.34
$38.54 $38.54
-29.06%
Cinema Ticket
$17.81 $17.81
$10.90 $10.90
63.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,794 $1,794
$1,046 $1,046
71.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.9K $31.9K
$18.2K $18.2K
75.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 $67.0
$54.3 $54.3
23.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$25.37 $25.37
105.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$85.1 $85.1
19.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$93.1 $93.1
54.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 $2,526
$1,604 $1,604
57.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 $1,578
$1,445 $1,445
9.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,738 $4,738
$2,022 $2,022
134.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,693 $2,693
$2,185 $2,185
23.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,190 $4,190
$3,166 $3,166
32.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,768 $2,768
$2,636 $2,636
5.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
Henderson, NV
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,931 $4,931
$4,695 $4,695
5.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
6.52
4.45%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Henderson, NV: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.6K
Henderson, NV
$1.4K 8.4% $133
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$447
Henderson, NV
$345 22.9% $102
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$345
Henderson, NV
$313 9.4% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$326
Henderson, NV
$339 4.3% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$164
Henderson, NV
$116 29.2% $48
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$93
Henderson, NV
$78 * 17% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$84
Henderson, NV
$37 55.9% $47

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 $1,604 in Henderson, NV. 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 5% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $66 in Henderson, NV. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $345 – making Henderson, NV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 Henderson, NV
🕒 Local time
18:58 6:58 PM
16:58 4:58 PM
2 h behind Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
337,305
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL Henderson, NV 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • Henderson, NV

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 Henderson, NV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chicago, IL and in Henderson, NV compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,672 in Henderson, NV – Henderson, NV comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chicago, IL compared to Henderson, NV?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,009 in Henderson, NV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chicago, IL and Henderson, NV?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Henderson, NV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,604 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $66 in Henderson, NV. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Henderson, NV, where all-in costs run around $2,672, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Henderson, NV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Chicago, IL or Henderson, NV?
Families tend to lean toward Henderson, NV – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Chicago, IL and Henderson, NV?
If budget matters most, go with Henderson, NV. 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.

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