Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Kalispell, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalispell, MT: $2,815 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Kalispell, MT
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Kalispell, MT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kalispell, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,815

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Kalispell, MT

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 Kalispell, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,815 in Kalispell, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kalispell, MT $2,815

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,399 in Kalispell, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kalispell, MT $4,399

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,982 in Kalispell, MT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kalispell, MT $5,982

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Kalispell, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Kalispell, MT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Kalispell, MT by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$29.83 $29.83

-30.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$80.5 $80.5

10.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.24 $13.24

-0.38%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.83 $6.83

-17.13%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.21 $3.21

-17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.44 $2.44

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.93 $5.93

15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.76 $5.76

53.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.14 $1.14

9.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.92 $4.92

-24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.73 $5.73

-5.93%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.42 $5.42

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.49 $15.49

-10.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.88 $10.88

32.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.81 $14.81

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.09 $6.09

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.86 $2.86

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.25 $4.25

-4.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.34 $6.34

-21.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.28 $3.28

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.98 $1.98

34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.55 $1.55

44.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.47 $3.47

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.89 $12.89

7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.27 $15.27

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.52 $3.52

-27.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.57 $3.57

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.13 $25.13

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.98 $0.98

22.45%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.5K $30.5K

14.84%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$28.5K $28.5K

-6.55%

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

$194 $194

$311 $311

-37.47%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$68.8 $68.8

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$82.8 $82.8

-25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$95.4 $95.4

-49.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$15.15 $15.15

80.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.14 $15.14

17.64%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,147 $1,147

56.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$64.7 $64.7

3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$57.8 $57.8

-9.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

-0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$96.5 $96.5

48.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,378 $1,378

83.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,195 $1,195

32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,436 $2,436

94.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,542 $2,542

5.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,667 $4,667

-10.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,558 $4,558

-39.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,253 $3,253

51.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.87

-0.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kalispell, MT: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kalispell, MT

$1.2K 42.4% 24.3% $383

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kalispell, MT

$464 16.5% 3.6% $16

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kalispell, MT

$424 15.1% 23% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kalispell, MT

$463 16.4% 42.1% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kalispell, MT

$144 5.1% 12% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kalispell, MT

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kalispell, MT

$126 4.5% 50.5% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,378 in Kalispell, MT. 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 52% 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 $80 in Kalispell, MT. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $464 in Kalispell, MT – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kalispell, MT

🕒 Local time

00:32 12:32 AM

23:32 11:32 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

22,052

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Kalispell, MT 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Kalispell, MT

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 Kalispell, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,815 in Kalispell, MT – Kalispell, MT comes out roughly 7% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,223 in Kalispell, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalispell, MT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,378 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Kalispell, MT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,815 in Kalispell, MT. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kalispell, MT – 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 Kalispell, MT. 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.