Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Hot Springs, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Hot Springs, AR: $1,720 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Hot Springs, AR
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Hot Springs, AR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Hot Springs, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,720

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Hot Springs, AR

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 Hot Springs, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,720 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Hot Springs, AR $1,720

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,576 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Hot Springs, AR $2,576

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,432 in Hot Springs, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Hot Springs, AR $3,432

Chicago, IL costs about 77% more than Hot Springs, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Hot Springs, AR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Hot Springs, AR by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.83 $16.83

23.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$69.6 $69.6

28.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.35 $9.35

41.07%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.09 $5.09

11.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.86 $2.86

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.46 $1.46

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.10 $5.10

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.14 $6.14

43.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.94 $0.94

32.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.05 $3.05

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.98 $1.98

172.22%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.27 $2.27

108.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.23 $11.23

23.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.46 $12.46

15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.35 $19.35

-5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.53 $3.53

47.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.33 $1.33

48.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.60 $3.60

12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.78 $3.78

31.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.80 $1.80

48.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.67 $2.67

-0.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 $2.31

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.07 $1.07

192.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.03 $9.03

53.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.83 $18.83

-20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.51 $2.51

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.48 $4.48

-21.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.17 $1.17

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$28.06 $28.06

162.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.82 $2.82

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.23 $2.23

-37.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$17.2K $17.2K

103.45%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$22.5K $22.5K

18.42%

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

$194 $194

$174 $174

11.50%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.1 $56.1

23.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$39.93 $39.93

54.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.54 $34.54

38.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$9.86 $9.86

177.28%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.87 $9.87

80.45%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$609 $609

194.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.08 $40.08

67.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.48 $40.48

28.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$98.9 $98.9

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$79.9 $79.9

79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$717 $717

252.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$591 $591

167.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,068 $1,068

343.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$897 $897

200.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,947 $1,947

115.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,001 $2,001

38.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,558 $3,558

38.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.49

4.93%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Hot Springs, AR

$591 34.4% 62.5% $987

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Hot Springs, AR

$362 21.1% 19.1% $85

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Hot Springs, AR

$279 16.2% 19.2% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Hot Springs, AR

$270 15.7% 16.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Hot Springs, AR

$117 6.8% 28.8% $47

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Hot Springs, AR

$47 2.7% 50% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Hot Springs, AR

$54 3.2% 35% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $717 in Hot Springs, AR. 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 39% 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 $70 in Hot Springs, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $362 – making Hot Springs, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Hot Springs, AR

🕒 Local time

05:50 5:50 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

37,930

💱 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 Hot Springs, AR 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Hot Springs, AR

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 Hot Springs, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,720 in Hot Springs, AR – Hot Springs, AR comes out roughly 43% 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 $2,580 in Hot Springs, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hot Springs, AR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $717 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $70 in Hot Springs, AR. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hot Springs, AR, where all-in costs run around $1,720, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Hot Springs, AR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hot Springs, AR – 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 Hot Springs, AR. 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.