Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Keene, NH

For one person, living is cheaper in Keene, NH: $2,782 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

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

Cost of Living Index in Keene, NH
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Keene, NH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Keene, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Keene, NH

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 Keene, NH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,782 in Keene, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Keene, NH $2,782

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,908 in Keene, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Keene, NH $2,908

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,035 in Keene, NH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Keene, NH $3,035

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Keene, NH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Keene, NH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Keene, NH by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$19.92 $19.92

8.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$98.9 $98.9

-10.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$11.87 $11.87

11.20%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.05 $3.05

83.28%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.10 $3.10

-15.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.02 $1.02

121.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.82 $7.82

-9.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$8.80 $8.80

4.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.22 $1.22

4.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.36 $4.36

-11.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.99 $6.99

-27.47%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$5.94 $5.94

-18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$15.80 $15.80

-10.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.70 $14.70

-0.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$19.14 $19.14

-1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.53 $4.53

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.08 $2.08

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.41 $5.41

-26.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$7.76 $7.76

-35.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.54 $4.54

-38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.99 $3.99

-33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.99 $2.99

-28.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.91 $2.91

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$12.75 $12.75

25.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.76 $15.76

-3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.07 $3.07

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.62 $5.62

-38.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.64 $2.64

21.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.79 $1.79

-22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$28.06 $28.06

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.91 $0.91

36.26%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.1K $36.1K

3.01%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

-2.26%

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

$192 $192

$98.5 $98.5

95.25%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$24.78 $24.78

173.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$69.8 $69.8

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$31.40 $31.40

70.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$13.66 $13.66

30.31%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$2,851 $2,851

-45.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$36.6K $36.6K

-14.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$76.5 $76.5

-11.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$164 $164

-12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,661 $1,661

43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,521 $1,521

12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$2,661 $2,661

56.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$2,600 $2,600

3.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.66

1.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Keene, NH: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Keene, NH

$1.5K 54.7% 11.1% $191

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Keene, NH

$508 18.3% 12.6% $57

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Keene, NH

$305 11% 13.7% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Keene, NH

$193 6.9% 39.8% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Keene, NH

$184 6.6% 12.7% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Keene, NH

$12 * 0.4% 87.8% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Keene, NH

$59 2.1% 34.1% $30

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,661 in Keene, NH. 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $99.0 in Keene, NH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $508 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Keene, NH

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

09:31 9:31 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

23,047

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Keene, NH 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Keene, NH

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 Keene, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,782 in Keene, NH – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,172 in Keene, NH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Keene, NH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $99.0 in Keene, NH. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $2,782 in Keene, NH. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,782 in Keene, NH to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Keene, NH. 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.