Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Honolulu, HI

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,708 in Honolulu, HI, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
178

Cost of Living Index in Honolulu, HI
Learn more

Honolulu, HI Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Honolulu, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,708

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Honolulu, HI

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 Honolulu, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,708 in Honolulu, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Honolulu, HI $3,708

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,954 in Honolulu, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Honolulu, HI $5,954

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,200 in Honolulu, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Honolulu, HI $8,200

Chicago, IL is about 18% cheaper than Honolulu, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Honolulu, HI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Honolulu, HI by 172%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$27.73 $27.73

-25.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$140 $140

-36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$15.03 $15.03

-12.24%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$10.28 $10.28

-44.94%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$4.84 $4.84

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.57 $3.57

-36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$10.68 $10.68

-35.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$11.28 $11.28

-21.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.18 $2.18

-42.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$7.52 $7.52

-50.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$10.17 $10.17

-47.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$8.69 $8.69

-45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$27.68 $27.68

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$20.05 $20.05

-28.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$21.26 $21.26

-13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.99 $7.99

-34.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$5.14 $5.14

-61.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.77 $6.77

-40.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$9.48 $9.48

-47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.81 $4.81

-44.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.89 $4.89

-45.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.15 $5.15

-56.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.18 $3.18

-1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.91 $12.91

7.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.31 $18.31

-18.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.72 $2.72

-6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.81 $5.81

-39.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.07 $3.07

-20.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$90.8 $90.8

-19.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.42 $3.42

-7.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.58 $2.58

-46.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$45.37 $45.37

-44.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.44 $1.44

-16.67%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.2K $36.2K

-3.12%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.16%

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

$194 $194

$259 $259

-24.86%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$66.4 $66.4

4.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.2 $66.2

-6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$53.8 $53.8

-11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$31.55 $31.55

-13.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$19.86 $19.86

-10.32%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,174 $2,174

-17.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

19.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$62.7 $62.7

6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.12 $47.12

10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$99.8 $99.8

1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$130 $130

10.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,529 $2,529

-0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,741 $1,741

-9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,407 $4,407

7.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,603 $3,603

-25.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$9,028 $9,028

-53.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$7,207 $7,207

-61.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,079 $4,079

20.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.7

1.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Honolulu, HI: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Honolulu, HI

$1.7K 47% 10.4% $163

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Honolulu, HI

$710 19.1% 58.6% $262

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Honolulu, HI

$500 13.5% 44.9% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Honolulu, HI

$391 10.6% 20.2% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Honolulu, HI

$153 4.1% 6.7% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Honolulu, HI

$119 3.2% 27.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Honolulu, HI

$94 2.5% 12% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,529 in Honolulu, HI. 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 21% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $140 in Honolulu, HI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $710 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Honolulu, HI

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

22:09 10:09 PM

4 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

350,964

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Honolulu, HI 6,840 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Honolulu, HI

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 Honolulu, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,708 in Honolulu, HI – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 18% 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 $5,562 in Honolulu, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,529 in Honolulu, HI. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Honolulu, HI, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $140 in Honolulu, HI. 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 $3,708 in Honolulu, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,037 versus $3,708 in Honolulu, HI. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.