Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Kearney, NE

For one person, living is cheaper in Kearney, NE: $2,077 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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
100

Cost of Living Index in Kearney, NE
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Kearney, NE Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Kearney, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,077

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Kearney, NE

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 Kearney, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,077 in Kearney, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Kearney, NE $2,077

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,910 in Kearney, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Kearney, NE $2,910

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,744 in Kearney, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Kearney, NE $3,744

Chicago, IL costs about 46% more than Kearney, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Kearney, NE sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Kearney, NE by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.11 $15.11

37.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.7 $59.7

49.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.66 $11.66

13.12%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.19 $5.19

9.06%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.21 $2.21

19.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.85 $1.85

23.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.08 $4.08

68.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.08 $5.08

74.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.82 $0.82

52.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.61 $1.61

131.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.64 $3.64

48.08%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.59 $3.59

32.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.04 $9.04

53.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$6.44 $6.44

123.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.32 $15.32

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.63 $5.63

-7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.06 $2.06

-3.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.92 $4.92

-17.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.19 $4.19

18.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.81 $1.81

47.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.95 $2.95

-9.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.95 $1.95

14.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.92 $2.92

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.14 $9.14

51.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.04 $15.04

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.98 $1.98

77.27%

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

$2.95 $2.95

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.33 $1.33

4.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.92 $24.92

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.4K $24.4K

43.73%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.96%

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

$194 $194

$277 $277

-29.90%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.4 $64.4

7.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.4 $73.4

-16.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$54.7 $54.7

-12.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$5.86 $5.86

366.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.48 $12.48

42.71%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,033 $1,033

73.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.4K $19.4K

64.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$30.51 $30.51

119.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.13 $40.13

29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$94.5 $94.5

7.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$121 $121

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,038 $1,038

143.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$843 $843

87.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,487 $1,487

218.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,196 $1,196

125.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,631 $1,631

156.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,621 $1,621

70.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,624 $7,624

-35.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kearney, NE: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Kearney, NE

$843 40.6% 46.6% $735

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Kearney, NE

$337 16.2% 24.7% $111

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Kearney, NE

$265 12.8% 23.2% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Kearney, NE

$415 20% 27.5% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Kearney, NE

$129 6.2% 21.6% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Kearney, NE

$9.6 * 0.5% 89.7% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Kearney, NE

$80 3.8% 4.6% $3.8

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 $1,038 in Kearney, NE. 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 55% higher in Kearney, NE, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $60 in Kearney, NE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $337 – making Kearney, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kearney, NE

🕒 Local time

04:40 4:40 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

29,385

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Kearney, NE 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Kearney, NE

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 Kearney, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,077 in Kearney, NE – Kearney, NE comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,116 in Kearney, NE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kearney, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,038 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in Kearney, NE. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kearney, NE, where all-in costs run around $2,077, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Kearney, NE it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kearney, NE – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.