Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mesquite, NV

For one person, living is cheaper in Mesquite, NV: $2,454 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Mesquite, NV
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Mesquite, NV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Mesquite, NV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,454

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Mesquite, NV

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 Mesquite, NV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,454 in Mesquite, NV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Mesquite, NV $2,454

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,712 in Mesquite, NV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Mesquite, NV $3,712

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,970 in Mesquite, NV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Mesquite, NV $4,970

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than Mesquite, NV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Mesquite, NV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Mesquite, NV by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.82 $24.82

-16.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.7 $50.7

76.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.62 $13.62

-3.16%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.79 $5.79

-2.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.97 $2.97

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.03 $2.03

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.90 $4.90

40.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.17 $7.17

23.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.87 $0.87

43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.50 $3.50

6.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.39 $4.39

22.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.40 $4.40

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.15 $13.15

5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.41 $11.41

26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.40 $18.40

-0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.30 $4.30

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 $1.66

19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.59 $3.59

13.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.93 $3.93

26.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.30 $2.30

16.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.25 $2.25

18.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.85 $1.85

21.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.42 $2.42

29.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.09 $10.09

36.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.89 $10.89

36.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.48 $2.48

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.86 $2.86

22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.09 $2.09

16.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$53.0 $53.0

38.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.66 $3.66

-13.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.61 $2.61

-46.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$35.16 $35.16

-28.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.26 $1.26

-4.76%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$16.3K $16.3K

115.31%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$22.0K $22.0K

21.30%

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

$194 $194

$207 $207

-6.25%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$37.31 $37.31

86.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.3 $68.3

-9.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.75 $40.75

17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$7.04 $7.04

152.98%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$798 $798

124.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.3K $25.3K

26.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$25.42 $25.42

163.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$24.58 $24.58

112.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$66.3 $66.3

53.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$73.9 $73.9

94.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,751 $1,751

44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,171 $1,171

34.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,909 $2,909

62.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,274 $2,274

18.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,746 $2,746

52.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,363 $2,363

17.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,936 $3,936

25.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.6

3.18%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mesquite, NV: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Mesquite, NV

$1.2K 47.7% 25.8% $407

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Mesquite, NV

$384 15.6% 14.2% $64

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Mesquite, NV

$368 15% 6.6% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Mesquite, NV

$313 12.8% 3.8% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Mesquite, NV

$86 3.5% 47.8% $78

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Mesquite, NV

$78 3.2% 16.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Mesquite, NV

$55 2.2% 34.3% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,751 in Mesquite, NV. 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 25% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $51 in Mesquite, NV. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $384 – making Mesquite, NV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Mesquite, NV

🕒 Local time

18:05 6:05 PM

16:05 4:05 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

150,108

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Mesquite, NV 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Mesquite, NV

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 Mesquite, NV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,454 in Mesquite, NV – Mesquite, NV comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,681 in Mesquite, NV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mesquite, NV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,751 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $51 in Mesquite, NV. 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 Mesquite, NV, where all-in costs run around $2,454, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Mesquite, NV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mesquite, NV – 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 Mesquite, NV. 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.