Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and London, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in London, KY: $2,351 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in London, KY
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London, KY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

London, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,351

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in London, KY

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 London, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,351 in London, KY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
London, KY $2,351

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,361 in London, KY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
London, KY $3,361

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,372 in London, KY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
London, KY $4,372

Chicago, IL costs about 34% more than London, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and London, KY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, London, KY by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$15.06 $15.06

37.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$50.6 $50.6

78.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.93 $9.93

30.31%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.03 $5.03

11.33%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.01 $2.01

31.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.66 $1.66

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.65 $5.65

23.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.03 $5.03

75.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.80 $0.80

58.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.60 $2.60

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.12 $4.12

28.64%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.04 $3.04

56.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.56 $12.56

11.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$7.00 $7.00

108.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.16 $16.16

16.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.01 $3.01

72.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.39 $1.39

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.99 $1.99

97.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.20 $2.20

125.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.00 $2.00

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.74 $1.74

58.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.38 $1.38

60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.93 $1.93

54.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.11 $10.11

38.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.74 $14.74

3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.09 $2.09

23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.93 $2.93

19.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.18 $2.18

13.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.66 $3.66

-8.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.26 $1.26

13.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$25.12 $25.12

-3.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.96 $0.96

31.25%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

-2.30%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.45%

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

$193 $193

$149 $149

29.18%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$78.2 $78.2

-12.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$73.4 $73.4

-16.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$37.90 $37.90

42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.93 $14.93

18.82%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$446 $446

270.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.3K $19.3K

61.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$30.22 $30.22

118.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$22.41 $22.41

128.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$74.2 $74.2

34.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$59.2 $59.2

137.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$576 $576

324.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,306 $1,306

28.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$838 $838

462.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,150 $2,150

29.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,449 $2,449

67.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,039 $2,039

29.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.2

9.84%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for London, KY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

London, KY

$1.3K 55.6% 22.1% $371

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

London, KY

$310 13.2% 31% $140

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

London, KY

$264 11.2% 23.3% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

London, KY

$301 12.8% 6.7% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

London, KY

$84 3.6% 48.1% $78

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

London, KY

$19 * 0.8% 80.4% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

London, KY

$68 2.9% 24.4% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $576 in London, KY. 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $51.0 in London, KY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $310 – making London, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 London, KY

🕒 Local time

03:10 3:10 AM

04:10 4:10 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,000

💱 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 London, KY 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
London, KY

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 London, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,351 in London, KY – roughly 34% 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 $3,526 in London, KY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in London, KY, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $51.0 in London, KY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in London, KY, where all-in costs run around $2,351, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In London, KY 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 $2,351 in London, KY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with London, KY. 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.