Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Meridian, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Meridian, MS: $2,649 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Meridian, MS
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Meridian, MS Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,649

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,649 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Meridian, MS $2,649

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,910 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Meridian, MS $3,910

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,171 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Meridian, MS $5,171

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Meridian, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Meridian, MS sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Meridian, MS by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$26.29 $26.29

-21.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$104 $104

-12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.54 $10.54

22.77%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.03 $4.03

38.96%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.20 $2.20

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.21 $2.21

2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.85 $5.85

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.88 $7.88

12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.96 $0.96

32.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.18 $4.18

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.02 $2.02

162.38%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.87 $3.87

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$15.33 $15.33

-8.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.82 $8.82

65.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$15.45 $15.45

21.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.95 $2.95

75.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.12 $1.12

76.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.79 $2.79

40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.35 $4.35

14.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.90 $1.90

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.15 $3.15

-12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.09 $2.09

6.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.67 $2.67

11.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.94 $8.94

56.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.72 $16.72

-8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.44 $2.44

5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.02 $4.02

-12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.74 $1.74

41.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.53 $3.53

-5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.50 $1.50

-4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$35.41 $35.41

-31.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.4K $33.4K

4.77%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.10%

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

$193 $193

$263 $263

-26.84%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$72.8 $72.8

-6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$73.9 $73.9

-17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.01 $44.01

22.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.56 $12.56

41.24%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$605 $605

173.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$10.1K $10.1K

207.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$57.1 $57.1

15.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$43.22 $43.22

18.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$86.0 $86.0

16.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 $122

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,581 $1,581

54.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,288 $1,288

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,518 $2,518

87.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,117 $2,117

32.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,043 $3,043

34.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,153 $2,153

23.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,062 $4,062

19.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Meridian, MS: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Meridian, MS

$1.3K 48.6% 23.2% $390

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Meridian, MS

$372 14% 17.3% $78

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Meridian, MS

$353 13.3% 2.8% $9.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Meridian, MS

$410 15.5% 27.3% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Meridian, MS

$139 5.2% 13.9% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Meridian, MS

$18 * 0.7% 81.1% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Meridian, MS

$69 2.6% 22.8% $20

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 $1,581 in Meridian, MS. 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 20% 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 $104 in Meridian, MS. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $372 in Meridian, MS – so Meridian, MS wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Meridian, MS

🕒 Local time

15:30 3:30 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

38,200

💱 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 Meridian, MS 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,649 in Meridian, MS – roughly 18% 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 $3,973 in Meridian, MS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meridian, MS, 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 $104 in Meridian, MS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,649 in Meridian, MS. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,649 in Meridian, MS to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Meridian, MS. 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.