Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Kansas City, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Kansas City, KS: $2,714 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Kansas City, KS
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Kansas City, KS Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kansas City, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,714

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,714 in Kansas City, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kansas City, KS $2,714

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,099 in Kansas City, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kansas City, KS $4,099

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,484 in Kansas City, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kansas City, KS $5,484

Chicago, IL costs about 12% more than Kansas City, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Kansas City, KS sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Kansas City, KS by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$23.70 $23.70

-12.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$81.6 $81.6

9.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.58 $12.58

4.85%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.09 $6.09

-7.06%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.05 $3.05

-13.44%

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

$5.13 $5.13

33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.86 $8.86

-0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.37 $3.37

10.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.27 $5.27

2.28%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.57 $4.57

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.97 $13.97

-0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.50 $9.50

51.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.57 $13.57

35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.19 $4.19

24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.10 $2.10

-5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.89 $5.89

-31.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.45 $5.45

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.57 $3.57

-25.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.78 $3.78

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.39 $2.39

-6.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.18 $2.18

43.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.78 $8.78

57.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.84 $16.84

-11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.81 $1.81

40.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.97 $3.97

-11.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.53 $1.53

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.2 $55.2

33.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.93 $4.93

-35.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.28 $1.28

8.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$41.28 $41.28

-39.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.21%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.35%

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

$194 $194

$198 $198

-1.99%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.0 $53.0

31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.3 $64.3

-4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$113 $113

-57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$64.7 $64.7

-57.72%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.24 $15.24

16.86%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$445 $445

302.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

50.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.8 $59.8

12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.22 $43.22

20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$104 $104

-2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$146 $146

-1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,498 $1,498

68.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,255 $1,255

25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,794 $2,794

69.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,191 $2,191

22.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,078 $2,078

101.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,167 $2,167

27.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,207 $3,207

53.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kansas City, KS: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kansas City, KS

$1.3K 46.2% 20.4% $323

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kansas City, KS

$403 14.8% 9.9% $45

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kansas City, KS

$366 13.5% 6% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kansas City, KS

$316 11.6% 3.1% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kansas City, KS

$159 5.8% 3.3% $5.5

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kansas City, KS

$73 2.7% 22.2% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kansas City, KS

$144 5.3% 72.1% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,498 in Kansas City, 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 54% 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 $82 in Kansas City, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $403 – making Kansas City, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kansas City, KS

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

463,202

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Kansas City, KS 670 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Kansas City, 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 Kansas City, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,714 in Kansas City, KS – roughly 12% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,072 in Kansas City, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kansas City, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,498 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $82 in Kansas City, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,714 in Kansas City, KS. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kansas City, KS – 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 Kansas City, KS. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.