Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Las Cruces, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Cruces, NM: $2,067 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Las Cruces, NM
Learn more

Las Cruces, NM Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Las Cruces, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,067

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Las Cruces, NM

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 Las Cruces, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Las Cruces, NM $2,067

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,132 in Las Cruces, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Las Cruces, NM $3,132

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,196 in Las Cruces, NM, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Las Cruces, NM $4,196

Chicago, IL costs about 52% more than Las Cruces, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Las Cruces, NM sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Las Cruces, NM by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.34 $17.34

19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$45.20 $45.20

99.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.15 $12.15

6.50%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.78 $5.78

-3.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.40 $2.40

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.17 $2.17

4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.31 $6.31

10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.13 $9.13

-3.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.77 $0.77

64.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.60 $3.60

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.76 $3.76

40.96%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.72 $4.72

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.56 $13.56

2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.04 $12.04

21.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.48 $17.48

7.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.37 $4.37

18.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.11 $2.11

-6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.39 $3.39

15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.87 $3.87

28.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.36 $2.36

16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.37 $2.37

16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.80 $1.80

23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.84 $1.84

61.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$11.02 $11.02

27.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.10 $15.10

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.46 $2.46

4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.51 $3.51

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.99 $0.99

149.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$38.50 $38.50

94.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.35 $2.35

42.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.32 $2.32

-38.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.98 $0.98

28.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

26.01%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.9K $23.9K

9.28%

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

$193 $193

$176 $176

9.47%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$57.0 $57.0

19.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$87.4 $87.4

-29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$50.2 $50.2

7.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$10.89 $10.89

156.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$10.09 $10.09

75.82%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$683 $683

142.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$58.2 $58.2

13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$31.55 $31.55

62.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$84.7 $84.7

18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$102 $102

38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$966 $966

153.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$794 $794

111.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,725 $1,725

173.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,532 $1,532

82.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,121 $2,121

93.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,971 $1,971

34.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,589 $3,589

35.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.36

7.08%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Las Cruces, NM: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Las Cruces, NM

$794 38.4% 52.7% $884

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Las Cruces, NM

$389 18.8% 13.5% $61

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Las Cruces, NM

$313 15.1% 9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Las Cruces, NM

$320 15.5% 0.6% $1.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Las Cruces, NM

$124 6% 22.9% $37

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Las Cruces, NM

$56 2.7% 40.7% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Las Cruces, NM

$70 3.4% 21.5% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $966 in Las Cruces, NM. 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 36% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $45.00 in Las Cruces, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $389 – making Las Cruces, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Las Cruces, NM

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

02:47 2:47 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

111,385

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Las Cruces, NM 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Las Cruces, NM

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 Las Cruces, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM – roughly 52% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,101 in Las Cruces, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $45.00 in Las Cruces, NM. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Cruces, NM, where all-in costs run around $2,067, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Las Cruces, NM it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,067 in Las Cruces, NM to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Las Cruces, NM. 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.