Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Jamestown, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown, ND: $2,578 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Jamestown, ND
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Jamestown, ND Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Jamestown, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,578

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Jamestown, ND

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 Jamestown, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,578 in Jamestown, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Jamestown, ND $2,578

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,748 in Jamestown, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Jamestown, ND $3,748

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,919 in Jamestown, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Jamestown, ND $4,919

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Jamestown, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Jamestown, ND sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Jamestown, ND by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.07 $22.07

-6.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$67.2 $67.2

32.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.12 $12.12

8.83%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.25 $5.25

7.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.40 $2.40

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.17 $2.17

5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.25 $5.25

30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.35 $7.35

20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.48 $3.48

6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.27 $4.27

26.23%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.07 $4.07

16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.40 $11.40

21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.24 $10.24

40.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.79 $16.79

9.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.90 $4.90

6.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.79 $4.79

-15.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.03 $5.03

-1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.73 $2.73

-2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.26 $3.26

-18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.20 $2.20

1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.91 $1.91

63.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.06 $9.06

52.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.91 $12.91

15.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.94 $1.94

30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.12 $3.12

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.15 $2.15

13.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$61.9 $61.9

18.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.63 $1.63

-14.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$26.20 $26.20

-4.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

34.90%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$30.0K $30.0K

-10.97%

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

$194 $194

$201 $201

-3.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.0 $58.0

19.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.7 $68.7

-10.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.40 $36.40

31.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.11 $13.11

35.85%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,516 $1,516

18.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.9K $25.9K

23.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.2 $52.2

28.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.82 $42.82

21.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$89.8 $89.8

13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$102 $102

41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,533 $1,533

64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,263 $1,263

24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,517 $2,517

88.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,062 $2,062

30.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,240 $3,240

29.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,060 $2,060

34.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,079 $3,079

60.15%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Jamestown, ND: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Jamestown, ND

$1.3K 49% 20% $315

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Jamestown, ND

$379 14.7% 15.3% $68

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Jamestown, ND

$335 13% 2.8% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Jamestown, ND

$328 12.7% 0.6% $2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Jamestown, ND

$129 5% 21.4% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Jamestown, ND

$82 3.2% 12.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Jamestown, ND

$63 2.4% 25% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,533 in Jamestown, ND. 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 60% 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 $67 in Jamestown, ND. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $379 – making Jamestown, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Jamestown, ND

🕒 Local time

15:36 3:36 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Jamestown, ND 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Jamestown, ND

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 Jamestown, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,578 in Jamestown, ND – Jamestown, ND comes out roughly 15% 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 $3,867 in Jamestown, ND. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jamestown, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,533 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $67 in Jamestown, ND. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,578 in Jamestown, ND. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Jamestown, ND – 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 Jamestown, ND. 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.