Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Little Rock, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Little Rock, AR: $2,150 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Little Rock, AR
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Little Rock, AR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,150

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Little Rock, AR

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 Little Rock, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,150 in Little Rock, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Little Rock, AR $2,150

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,136 in Little Rock, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Little Rock, AR $3,136

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,122 in Little Rock, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Little Rock, AR $4,122

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

Both Chicago, IL and Little Rock, AR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Little Rock, AR by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$16.69 $16.69

23.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$76.5 $76.5

18.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.14 $11.14

16.16%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.10 $5.10

9.80%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.92 $2.92

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.44 $2.44

-6.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.61 $5.61

24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.62 $6.62

33.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.06 $1.06

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.73 $2.73

39.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.75 $2.75

92.73%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.37 $3.37

41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.15 $10.15

37.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.06 $12.06

21.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.58 $22.58

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.08 $5.08

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.47 $1.47

34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.52 $4.52

-13.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.90 $3.90

27.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.82 $2.82

-2.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.53 $2.53

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.92 $1.92

15.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.86 $1.86

60.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.26 $9.26

51.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.25 $13.25

15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.81 $1.81

42.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.73 $1.73

102.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.39 $1.39

77.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$36.10 $36.10

107.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.54 $2.54

31.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.53 $1.53

-6.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$23.86 $23.86

1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.93 $0.93

35.48%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

30.11%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.24%

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

$193 $193

$219 $219

-12.13%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$59.2 $59.2

15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$69.8 $69.8

-12.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$28.32 $28.32

91.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$14.15 $14.15

97.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.10 $13.10

35.42%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,051 $1,051

57.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.2K $19.2K

61.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$51.5 $51.5

28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$38.74 $38.74

32.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$84.0 $84.0

19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$152 $152

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,145 $1,145

113.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$883 $883

90.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,535 $1,535

207.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,321 $1,321

111.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,912 $1,912

114.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,325 $1,325

100.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,988 $3,988

21.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.75

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Little Rock, AR: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Little Rock, AR

$883 41.1% 47.4% $795

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Little Rock, AR

$375 17.5% 16.5% $74

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Little Rock, AR

$291 13.5% 15.3% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Little Rock, AR

$348 16.2% 8.1% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Little Rock, AR

$147 6.8% 9% $15

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Little Rock, AR

$52 2.4% 45.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Little Rock, AR

$55 2.5% 39.2% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,145 in Little Rock, AR. 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 22% 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 $76.0 in Little Rock, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $375 – making Little Rock, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Little Rock, AR

🕒 Local time

06:41 6:41 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

202,591

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Little Rock, AR 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Little Rock, AR

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 Little Rock, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,150 in Little Rock, AR – roughly 46% 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 $3,225 in Little Rock, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $76.0 in Little Rock, AR. 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 Little Rock, AR, where all-in costs run around $2,150, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Little Rock, AR 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 $2,150 in Little Rock, AR to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Little Rock, AR. 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.