Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Hoffman Estates, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Hoffman Estates, IL: $2,548 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Hoffman Estates, IL
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Hoffman Estates, IL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Hoffman Estates, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Hoffman Estates, IL

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 Hoffman Estates, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Hoffman Estates, IL $2,548

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,650 in Hoffman Estates, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Hoffman Estates, IL $3,650

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,753 in Hoffman Estates, IL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Hoffman Estates, IL $4,753

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Hoffman Estates, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Hoffman Estates, IL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Hoffman Estates, IL by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.29 $17.29

19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$66.6 $66.6

35.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.17 $10.17

27.24%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.86 $4.86

15.23%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.76 $2.76

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.01 $2.01

12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.40 $6.40

9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.17 $6.17

43.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.01 $1.01

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.43 $3.43

10.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.29 $4.29

23.54%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.27 $4.27

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.41 $12.41

12.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.38 $11.38

28.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.28 $17.28

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.96 $4.96

4.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.27 $4.27

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.60 $4.60

7.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.72 $2.72

1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.01 $3.01

-8.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.14 $2.14

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.20 $2.20

35.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.92 $8.92

57.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.93 $14.93

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.21 $2.21

16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.87 $2.87

21.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.05 $2.05

20.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.37 $3.37

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.52 $1.52

-5.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$30.23 $30.23

-19.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.22 $1.22

3.28%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

32.62%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.1K $27.1K

-3.65%

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

$193 $193

$222 $222

-13.23%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$59.5 $59.5

14.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$68.7 $68.7

-10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.74 $41.74

29.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.87 $13.87

27.90%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,385 $1,385

19.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$58.7 $58.7

12.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.85 $40.85

25.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$90.1 $90.1

11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 $122

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,618 $1,618

51.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,283 $1,283

30.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,803 $2,803

68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,029 $2,029

37.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,652 $2,652

54.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,396 $2,396

10.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,390 $2,390

103.55%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Hoffman Estates, IL: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$1.3K 50.4% 23.5% $395

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$395 15.5% 12.2% $55

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$291 11.4% 15.4% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$350 13.7% 8.7% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$140 5.5% 12.9% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$19 * 0.8% 79.8% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Hoffman Estates, IL

$69 2.7% 22.5% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,618 in Hoffman Estates, IL. 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 104% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $67.0 in Hoffman Estates, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $395 – making Hoffman Estates, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hoffman Estates, IL

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

51,895

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Hoffman Estates, IL 42 km

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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 Hoffman Estates, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,822 in Hoffman Estates, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hoffman Estates, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $67.0 in Hoffman Estates, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL. 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 $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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