Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaneohe, HI: $2,754 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 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
132

Cost of Living Index in Kaneohe, HI
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Kaneohe, HI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Kaneohe, HI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,754

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,754 in Kaneohe, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Kaneohe, HI $2,754

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,026 in Kaneohe, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Kaneohe, HI $4,026

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,298 in Kaneohe, HI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Kaneohe, HI $5,298

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Kaneohe, HI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Kaneohe, HI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Kaneohe, HI by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$17.48 $17.48

16.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$76.2 $76.2

16.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.71 $12.71

1.10%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.54 $5.54

4.33%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.93 $1.93

41.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.99 $1.99

13.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.17 $7.17

-4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.08 $5.08

81.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.58 $3.58

-0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.65 $6.65

-19.10%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$7.53 $7.53

-39.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.65 $12.65

7.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.83 $10.83

29.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$17.88 $17.88

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$8.34 $8.34

-38.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$7.02 $7.02

-44.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$9.38 $9.38

-48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.81 $3.81

-26.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.77 $4.77

-44.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$3.04 $3.04

-31.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.07 $3.07

-1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.40 $8.40

65.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$6.92 $6.92

117.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.80 $2.80

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$5.85 $5.85

-41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.1 $60.1

25.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.47 $3.47

-8.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.59 $2.59

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$44.99 $44.99

-44.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.44 $1.44

-11.11%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$35.6K $35.6K

0.66%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

4.20%

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

$192 $192

$255 $255

-24.55%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$65.7 $65.7

5.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$65.3 $65.3

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.10 $40.10

19.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$16.78 $16.78

6.26%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$888 $888

104.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$28.2K $28.2K

44.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$64.2 $64.2

3.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$45.89 $45.89

11.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$111 $111

28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,567 $1,567

61.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,275 $1,275

27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,585 $2,585

86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,081 $2,081

31.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,590 $2,590

60.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,184 $2,184

24.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,427 $4,427

11.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

5.5

23.27%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Kaneohe, HI: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Kaneohe, HI

$1.3K 46.3% 21.4% $346

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Kaneohe, HI

$484 17.6% 10.3% $45

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Kaneohe, HI

$306 11.1% 11% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Kaneohe, HI

$386 14% 19% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Kaneohe, HI

$145 5.3% 11.1% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Kaneohe, HI

$84 3.1% 12.8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Kaneohe, HI

$74 2.7% 11.7% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,567 in Kaneohe, 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 11% 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 $76 in Kaneohe, HI. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $484 in Kaneohe, HI – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kaneohe, HI

🕒 Local time

20:46 8:46 PM

16:46 4:46 PM

4 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

34,597

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Kaneohe, HI 6,830 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,754 in Kaneohe, HI – Kaneohe, HI comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,131 in Kaneohe, HI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaneohe, HI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,567 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Kaneohe, HI. 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 $2,754 in Kaneohe, HI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kaneohe, HI – 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 Kaneohe, HI. 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.