Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lincoln, NE: $2,208 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Lincoln, NE
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Lincoln, NE Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Lincoln, 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 Lincoln, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,208 in Lincoln, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lincoln, NE $2,208

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,239 in Lincoln, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lincoln, NE $3,239

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,270 in Lincoln, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lincoln, NE $4,270

Chicago, IL costs about 38% more than Lincoln, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Lincoln, NE sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lincoln, NE by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.26 $20.26

2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.2 $79.2

12.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.17 $12.17

8.38%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.33 $2.33

13.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.75 $1.75

30.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.11 $5.11

34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.17 $9.17

-3.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.90 $0.90

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.22 $3.22

15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.32 $6.32

-14.72%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.48 $4.48

5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.42 $11.42

21.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.43 $8.43

70.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.82 $14.82

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.00 $7.00

-25.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.10 $2.10

-5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.91 $5.91

-31.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.37 $4.37

13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.37 $3.37

-20.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.71 $3.71

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.87 $1.87

19.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.67 $2.67

17.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.19 $9.19

50.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$17.30 $17.30

-13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.86 $1.86

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.56 $2.56

37.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.23 $1.23

97.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$16.91 $16.91

334.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.06 $5.06

-37.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.90 $1.90

-26.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$35.14 $35.14

-28.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.18%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.38%

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

$194 $194

$144 $144

35.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$47.84 $47.84

45.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.4 $65.4

-5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.55 $41.55

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$26.15 $26.15

4.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.08 $15.08

18.10%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$834 $834

115.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$48.84 $48.84

37.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.07 $35.07

48.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$87.5 $87.5

16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$956 $956

164.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$982 $982

60.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,164 $2,164

118.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,451 $1,451

85.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,484 $2,484

68.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,767 $1,767

56.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,834 $3,834

28.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.37

6.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lincoln, NE: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lincoln, NE

$982 44.5% 37.8% $596

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lincoln, NE

$404 18.3% 9.6% $43

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lincoln, NE

$327 14.8% 5.3% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lincoln, NE

$257 11.6% 21% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lincoln, NE

$130 5.9% 21% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lincoln, NE

$36 1.7% 61.1% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lincoln, NE

$72 3.3% 14.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $956 in Lincoln, 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 29% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Lincoln, NE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $404 – making Lincoln, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lincoln, NE

🕒 Local time

07:48 7:48 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

277,348

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Lincoln, NE 770 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Lincoln, 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 Lincoln, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,208 in Lincoln, NE – Lincoln, NE comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,312 in Lincoln, NE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lincoln, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $956 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Lincoln, NE. 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 $2,208 in Lincoln, NE. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Lincoln, NE. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.