Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,954 in Kahului, HI, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 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
176

Cost of Living Index in Kahului, HI
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Kahului, HI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Kahului, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,954

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Kahului, 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 Kahului, HI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,954 in Kahului, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Kahului, HI $3,954

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,700 in Kahului, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Kahului, HI $5,700

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,446 in Kahului, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Kahului, HI $7,446

Chicago, IL is about 21% cheaper than Kahului, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Kahului, HI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Kahului, HI by 192%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$47.08 $47.08

-56.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$74.9 $74.9

20.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$18.49 $18.49

-30.02%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$7.05 $7.05

-20.57%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.90 $2.90

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.57 $3.57

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.04 $5.04

38.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.57 $7.57

16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.45 $1.45

-12.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$6.88 $6.88

-44.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$9.07 $9.07

-41.57%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$6.60 $6.60

-27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$9.06 $9.06

54.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$15.18 $15.18

-3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$19.94 $19.94

-5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$12.75 $12.75

-59.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.72 $2.72

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$13.94 $13.94

-64.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$5.94 $5.94

-41.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.03 $2.03

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$44.95 $44.95

66.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$35.41 $35.41

-31.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.29 $1.29

-2.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$40.6K $40.6K

-13.81%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.89%

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

$193 $193

$289 $289

-33.27%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$70.4 $70.4

-3.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$51.5 $51.5

19.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

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

$1,652 $1,652

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$56.0 $56.0

18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.51 $39.51

29.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$96.6 $96.6

3.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$124 $124

14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,317 $2,317

5.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,295 $2,295

-26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$4,012 $4,012

17.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$3,811 $3,811

-26.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$11.1K $11.1K

-62.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$11.3K $11.3K

-76.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,757 $4,757

2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kahului, HI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Kahului, HI

$2.3K 58% 36.8% $617

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Kahului, HI

$470 * 11.9% 4.7% $21

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Kahului, HI

$583 14.7% 69.7% $239

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Kahului, HI

$411 10.4% 27.4% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Kahului, HI

$142 3.6% 11.9% $19

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Kahului, HI

$53 * 1.3% 44.2% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Kahului, HI

- * 0% 100%

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 $2,317 in Kahului, 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 2% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $75.0 in Kahului, HI. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $470 in Kahului, HI – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kahului, HI

🕒 Local time

11:12 11:12 AM

06:12 6:12 AM

5 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

26,337

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Kahului, HI 6,750 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Kahului, 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 Kahului, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,954 in Kahului, HI – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,931 in Kahului, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 66% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Kahului, HI, 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 $3,954 in Kahului, HI. 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,954 in Kahului, HI. 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 Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kahului, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.