Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mandeville, LA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mandeville, LA: $1,949 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
93

Cost of Living Index in Mandeville, LA
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Mandeville, LA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Mandeville, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,949

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Mandeville, LA

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 Mandeville, LA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,949 in Mandeville, LA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Mandeville, LA $1,949

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,907 in Mandeville, LA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Mandeville, LA $2,907

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,864 in Mandeville, LA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Mandeville, LA $3,864

Chicago, IL costs about 56% more than Mandeville, LA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Mandeville, LA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Mandeville, LA by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.55 $13.55

52.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$55.7 $55.7

60.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.04 $12.04

9.55%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.48 $5.48

3.28%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.13 $2.13

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.72 $1.72

32.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.10 $5.10

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.04 $7.04

25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.89 $0.89

40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.41 $3.41

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.98 $1.98

172.22%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$1.85 $1.85

156.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.61 $10.61

30.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.90 $8.90

61.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.85 $13.85

32.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.38 $3.38

54.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.36 $1.36

45.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.70 $2.70

50.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.21 $4.21

18.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.63 $1.63

63.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.86 $1.86

43.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.80 $1.80

24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.16 $2.16

44.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.18 $9.18

50.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.76 $14.76

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.04 $2.04

24.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.05 $2.05

71.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.45 $2.45

29.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.83 $25.83

-3.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.78 $0.78

53.85%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

-2.00%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.9K $23.9K

11.50%

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

$194 $194

$155 $155

25.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.67 $39.67

75.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.1 $72.1

-14.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$28.60 $28.60

67.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.04 $13.04

36.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$623 $623

187.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,469 $9,469

237.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.57 $47.57

40.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.25 $30.25

72.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.2 $81.2

25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$79.9 $79.9

79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,170 $1,170

115.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$927 $927

70.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,883 $1,883

151.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,665 $1,665

61.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,871 $1,871

123.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,618 $1,618

71.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,309 $4,309

14.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.54

4.13%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mandeville, LA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Mandeville, LA

$927 47.5% 41.3% $651

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Mandeville, LA

$319 16.4% 28.8% $129

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Mandeville, LA

$265 13.6% 23.1% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Mandeville, LA

$266 13.7% 18.2% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Mandeville, LA

$108 5.5% 34.4% $56

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Mandeville, LA

$10 * 0.5% 89% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Mandeville, LA

$55 2.8% 34.5% $29

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,170 in Mandeville, LA. 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 14% 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 $56 in Mandeville, LA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $319 – making Mandeville, LA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Mandeville, LA

🕒 Local time

15:51 3:51 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

13,192

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Mandeville, LA 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Mandeville, LA

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 Mandeville, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,949 in Mandeville, LA – Mandeville, LA comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,924 in Mandeville, LA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandeville, LA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,170 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $56 in Mandeville, LA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mandeville, LA, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Mandeville, LA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mandeville, LA – 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 Mandeville, LA. 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.