Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Minot, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Minot, ND: $1,970 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 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
94

Cost of Living Index in Minot, ND
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Minot, ND Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Minot, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$1,970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Minot, ND

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 Minot, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,970 in Minot, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Minot, ND $1,970

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,019 in Minot, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Minot, ND $3,019

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,068 in Minot, ND, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Minot, ND $4,068

Chicago, IL costs about 54% more than Minot, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Minot, ND sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Minot, ND by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.04 $16.04

29.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.2 $75.2

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.52 $12.52

5.35%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$7.58 $7.58

-25.33%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.88 $2.88

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.46 $2.46

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.43 $5.43

26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.16 $7.16

23.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.21 $3.21

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.18 $3.18

69.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.98 $4.98

-4.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$4.33 $4.33

219.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$15.85 $15.85

-9.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.91 $22.91

-19.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.36 $4.36

19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.97 $1.97

0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.61 $3.61

12.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.53 $4.53

9.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.24 $3.24

-17.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.93 $3.93

-32.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.07 $3.07

-27.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.68 $2.68

16.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.11 $8.11

70.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.21 $15.21

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.81 $0.81

48.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

12.70%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$21.9K $21.9K

21.63%

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

$194 $194

$210 $210

-7.56%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$160 $160

-56.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.3 $76.3

-19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.99 $14.99

18.81%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,061 $1,061

69.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$35.08 $35.08

91.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$63.6 $63.6

-17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$114 $114

-10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$75.6 $75.6

90.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$906 $906

178.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$645 $645

144.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,643 $1,643

188.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,162 $1,162

131.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,545 $1,545

171.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,518 $1,518

82.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,511 $3,511

40.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.62

2.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Minot, ND: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Minot, ND

$645 32.7% 59.1% $933

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Minot, ND

$400 * 20.3% 10.7% $48

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Minot, ND

$320 16.2% 7.3% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Minot, ND

$446 22.7% 37.1% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Minot, ND

$130 6.6% 20.9% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Minot, ND

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Minot, ND

$30 * 1.5% 64.1% $54

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 $906 in Minot, ND. 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 40% 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 $75 in Minot, ND. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $400 – making Minot, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Minot, ND

🕒 Local time

02:48 2:48 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

34,745

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Minot, ND 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Minot, ND

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 Minot, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,970 in Minot, ND – Minot, ND comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,955 in Minot, ND. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Minot, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $906 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Minot, ND. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Minot, ND, where all-in costs run around $1,970, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Minot, ND it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minot, ND – 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 Minot, ND. 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.