Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Independence, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, KS: $2,034 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Independence, KS
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Independence, KS Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Independence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,034

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,034 in Independence, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Independence, KS $2,034

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,012 in Independence, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Independence, KS $3,012

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,990 in Independence, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Independence, KS $3,990

Chicago, IL costs about 51% more than Independence, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Independence, KS sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Independence, KS by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.98 $19.98

2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$74.8 $74.8

18.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.47 $11.47

12.03%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.41 $5.41

6.84%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.71 $2.71

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.02 $2.02

11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.83 $5.83

18.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.34 $7.34

25.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.60 $3.60

-1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.02 $4.02

33.83%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.05 $4.05

12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.21 $12.21

11.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$12.46 $12.46

12.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.26 $17.26

4.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.49 $4.49

-13.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.22 $4.22

14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.70 $2.70

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.82 $2.82

-5.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.11 $2.11

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.30 $2.30

31.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.27 $10.27

35.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.08 $15.08

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.00 $2.00

31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.53 $3.53

-2.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$64.7 $64.7

16.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.19 $3.19

-0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.96 $1.96

-13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$30.80 $30.80

-19.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.00 $1.00

28.00%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.4K $28.4K

25.99%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

2.08%

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

$192 $192

$201 $201

-4.52%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$57.3 $57.3

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.1 $69.1

-10.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.52 $39.52

20.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.95 $13.95

27.81%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,389 $1,389

30.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.2K $21.2K

91.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$53.6 $53.6

23.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$44.07 $44.07

16.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$89.9 $89.9

15.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$112 $112

27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,591 $1,591

59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$695 $695

133.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,539 $2,539

90.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,051 $1,051

160.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,430 $2,430

71.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,663 $2,663

2.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,237 $5,237

-5.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Independence, KS: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Independence, KS

$695 34.2% 57.1% $926

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Independence, KS

$401 19.7% 8.8% $39

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Independence, KS

$322 15.8% 6.4% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Independence, KS

$328 16.1% 1.1% $3.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Independence, KS

$135 6.6% 17.6% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Independence, KS

$87 4.3% 10.4% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Independence, KS

$67 3.3% 19.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,591 in Independence, KS. 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 6% higher in Independence, KS, 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 $75 in Independence, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $401 – making Independence, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Independence, KS

🕒 Local time

07:48 7:48 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

117,213

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Independence, KS 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,034 in Independence, KS – Independence, KS comes out roughly 34% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,051 in Independence, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Independence, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,591 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Independence, KS. 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,034 in Independence, KS. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Independence, KS – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Independence, KS is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 34% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.