Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lebanon, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Lebanon, OH: $2,496 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Lebanon, OH
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Lebanon, OH Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Lebanon, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,496

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Lebanon, OH

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 Lebanon, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,496 in Lebanon, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Lebanon, OH $2,496

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,581 in Lebanon, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Lebanon, OH $3,581

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,666 in Lebanon, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Lebanon, OH $4,666

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Lebanon, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Lebanon, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Lebanon, OH by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$13.25 $13.25

53.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$50.1 $50.1

76.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.13 $9.13

40.74%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.06 $5.06

14.23%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.97 $1.97

39.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.98 $0.98

130.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.08 $5.08

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.12 $6.12

50.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.73 $0.73

72.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.40 $1.40

153.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.04 $4.04

33.17%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.05 $2.05

121.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.25 $10.25

33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.01 $10.01

40.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.31 $14.31

26.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.57 $5.57

-7.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.95 $0.95

108.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.55 $5.55

-30.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.51 $4.51

7.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.32 $4.32

-34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.22 $3.22

-17.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.16 $2.16

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.08 $3.08

-1.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.06 $9.06

53.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.80 $12.80

17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.79 $2.79

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.27 $4.27

-19.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$55.1 $55.1

36.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.94 $4.94

-35.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.97 $1.97

-13.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$26.04 $26.04

-4.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.01 $1.01

26.73%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

29.59%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.29%

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

$192 $192

$194 $194

-0.89%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$105 $105

-33.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$76.2 $76.2

-18.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.26 $39.26

21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.16 $12.16

46.63%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$2,235 $2,235

-18.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$24.0K $24.0K

69.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$50.8 $50.8

30.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$31.73 $31.73

61.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$64.9 $64.9

59.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$151 $151

-5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,732 $1,732

46.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,241 $1,241

30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,436 $2,436

98.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,048 $2,048

33.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,012 $3,012

38.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,121 $2,121

28.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.82

-0.59%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Lebanon, OH: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Lebanon, OH

$1.2K 49.7% 23.4% $380

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Lebanon, OH

$361 14.5% 17.9% $78

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Lebanon, OH

$244 9.8% 29.2% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Lebanon, OH

$375 15% 15.7% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Lebanon, OH

$134 5.4% 17.9% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Lebanon, OH

$78 3.1% 19.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Lebanon, OH

$64 2.6% 23.8% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,732 in Lebanon, OH. 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 $50 in Lebanon, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $361 – making Lebanon, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lebanon, OH

🕒 Local time

20:46 8:46 PM

21:46 9:46 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

25,477

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Lebanon, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,496 in Lebanon, OH – Lebanon, OH comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,744 in Lebanon, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lebanon, OH, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,732 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $50 in Lebanon, OH. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lebanon, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,496, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Lebanon, OH 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 $2,496 in Lebanon, OH to $3,072 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Lebanon, OH is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 19% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.