Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hillsboro, OR: $2,898 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Chicago, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Hillsboro, OR
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Hillsboro, OR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Hillsboro, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,898 in Hillsboro, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Hillsboro, OR $2,898

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,926 in Hillsboro, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Hillsboro, OR $3,926

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,954 in Hillsboro, OR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Hillsboro, OR $4,954

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Hillsboro, OR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Hillsboro, OR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Hillsboro, OR by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.12 $22.12

-6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.1 $61.1

46.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.78 $7.78

69.54%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.75 $4.75

19.16%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.80 $2.80

-5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.02 $2.02

12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.86 $4.86

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.97 $5.97

48.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.05 $1.05

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.76 $3.76

-1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.41 $5.41

-0.37%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.81 $3.81

24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.02 $10.02

38.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.82 $13.82

4.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.53 $19.53

-5.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.68 $3.68

41.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.69 $1.69

17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.77 $3.77

7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.36 $3.36

47.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.17 $2.17

23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.19 $2.19

21.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.00 $2.00

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.87 $1.87

67.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.08 $10.08

37.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.57 $13.57

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.63 $3.63

-3.31%

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

$99.5 $99.5

-26.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.85 $4.85

-34.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.34 $1.34

3.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.80 $29.80

-16.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.15 $1.15

4.35%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$18.6K $18.6K

87.96%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$22.3K $22.3K

19.63%

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

$194 $194

$151 $151

28.82%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$41.00 $41.00

69.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$48.47 $48.47

27.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$52.3 $52.3

-8.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$12.10 $12.10

125.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.18 $14.18

25.60%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,208 $1,208

48.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.0K $12.0K

165.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$38.21 $38.21

75.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.70 $38.70

34.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$95.1 $95.1

6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$85.9 $85.9

67.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,894 $1,894

33.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,639 $1,639

-3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,831 $2,831

67.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,154 $2,154

25.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,329 $3,329

25.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,328 $3,328

-16.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,697 $4,697

4.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.22

9.49%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hillsboro, OR: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Hillsboro, OR

$1.6K 56.5% 3.8% $61

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Hillsboro, OR

$387 13.4% 13.4% $60

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Hillsboro, OR

$313 10.8% 9.3% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Hillsboro, OR

$240 8.3% 26.2% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Hillsboro, OR

$116 4% 29.2% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Hillsboro, OR

$122 4.2% 31% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Hillsboro, OR

$81 2.8% 3.4% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,894 in Hillsboro, 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 5% 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 $61 in Hillsboro, OR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $387 – making Hillsboro, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hillsboro, OR

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

02:21 2:21 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

106,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Hillsboro, OR 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Hillsboro, 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 Hillsboro, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,898 in Hillsboro, OR – Hillsboro, OR comes out roughly 5% 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 $4,348 in Hillsboro, OR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hillsboro, OR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,894 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Hillsboro, OR. 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 $2,898 in Hillsboro, OR. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Hillsboro, 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 Hillsboro, 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.