Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Kauai, Hawaii

For one person, living is cheaper in Kauai, Hawaii: $2,605 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Kauai, Hawaii
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Kauai, Hawaii Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kauai, Hawaii

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Kauai, Hawaii

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 Kauai, Hawaii actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kauai, Hawaii $2,605

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,851 in Kauai, Hawaii, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kauai, Hawaii $3,851

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,097 in Kauai, Hawaii, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kauai, Hawaii $5,097

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Kauai, Hawaii, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Kauai, Hawaii sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Kauai, Hawaii by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.36 $19.36

6.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.8 $75.8

17.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.98 $10.98

20.13%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.95 $4.95

14.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.95 $1.95

16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.07 $6.07

13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.97 $6.97

26.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

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

$4.09 $4.09

15.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.44 $12.44

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.49 $11.49

25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.60 $15.60

17.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.35 $4.35

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.59 $4.59

8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.87 $2.87

-6.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.89 $2.89

-7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.00 $2.00

12.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.17 $2.17

44.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.47 $9.47

45.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.83 $13.83

7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.77 $1.77

43.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.44 $3.44

2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.06 $2.06

17.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.5 $55.5

32.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.54 $3.54

-10.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.13 $29.13

-14.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.84 $0.84

42.86%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.3K $29.3K

19.66%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.86%

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

$194 $194

$185 $185

5.28%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.9 $53.9

28.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.1 $68.1

-9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$43.26 $43.26

10.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.53 $13.53

31.63%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,282 $1,282

39.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.1K $23.1K

38.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.1 $50.1

33.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.37 $39.37

32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$85.0 $85.0

19.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$112 $112

27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,605 $1,605

57.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,329 $1,329

18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,647 $2,647

78.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,266 $2,266

18.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,817 $2,817

48.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,482 $2,482

11.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kauai, Hawaii

$1.3K 51% 15.8% $249

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kauai, Hawaii

$385 14.8% 13.8% $62

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kauai, Hawaii

$309 11.9% 10.3% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kauai, Hawaii

$307 11.8% 5.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kauai, Hawaii

$129 5% 21.3% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kauai, Hawaii

$75 2.9% 19.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kauai, Hawaii

$70 2.7% 15.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,605 in Kauai, Hawaii. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Kauai, Hawaii. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $385 – making Kauai, Hawaii the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kauai, Hawaii

🕒 Local time

07:01 7:01 AM

02:01 2:01 AM

5 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

73,610

💱 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 Kauai, Hawaii 6,920 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Kauai, Hawaii

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 Kauai, Hawaii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii – roughly 17% 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 $3,907 in Kauai, Hawaii. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kauai, Hawaii, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,605 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $76 in Kauai, Hawaii. 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 $2,605 in Kauai, Hawaii. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kauai, Hawaii costs $2,605 versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

For expats, Kauai, Hawaii is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 17% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.