Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Montgomery, AL

For one person, living is cheaper in Montgomery, AL: $2,157 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Montgomery, AL
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Montgomery, AL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,157

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Montgomery, AL

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 Montgomery, AL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,157 in Montgomery, AL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Montgomery, AL $2,157

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,969 in Montgomery, AL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Montgomery, AL $2,969

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,781 in Montgomery, AL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Montgomery, AL $3,781

Chicago, IL costs about 41% more than Montgomery, AL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Montgomery, AL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Montgomery, AL by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.77 $15.77

31.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$55.5 $55.5

60.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.39 $10.39

26.95%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.57 $5.57

1.62%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.65 $2.65

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.10 $2.10

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.40 $4.40

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.79 $4.79

84.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.89 $0.89

40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.56 $3.56

4.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.08 $2.08

159.13%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.14 $3.14

50.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.20 $8.20

68.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$7.57 $7.57

90.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.55 $14.55

26.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.11 $4.11

27.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.30 $1.30

52.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.01 $2.01

101.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.00 $4.00

24.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.17 $3.17

-15.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.80 $2.80

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.07 $2.07

8.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.21 $2.21

41.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.51 $8.51

62.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.99 $14.99

-0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.95 $1.95

30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.92 $3.92

-10.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.11 $45.11

63.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.43 $2.43

30.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.64 $1.64

-15.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$26.31 $26.31

-4.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.87 $0.87

37.93%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.27%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.58%

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

$194 $194

$300 $300

-35.15%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.6 $51.6

34.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$71.3 $71.3

-13.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$33.13 $33.13

44.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$28.24 $28.24

-3.19%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.09 $10.09

76.51%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,385 $1,385

29.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$13.9K $13.9K

130.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.94 $47.94

39.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.15 $35.15

48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$85.4 $85.4

18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$94.8 $94.8

51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,409 $1,409

79.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$898 $898

75.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,926 $1,926

146.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,210 $1,210

122.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,405 $1,405

198.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,227 $1,227

125.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,599 $3,599

36.98%

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 Montgomery, AL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Montgomery, AL

$898 41.7% 43.1% $680

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Montgomery, AL

$325 15.1% 27.3% $122

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Montgomery, AL

$275 12.7% 20.3% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Montgomery, AL

$423 19.6% 29.9% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Montgomery, AL

$118 5.5% 27.8% $46

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Montgomery, AL

$64 3% 31.5% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Montgomery, AL

$53 2.5% 36.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,409 in Montgomery, AL. 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 37% 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 Montgomery, AL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $325 – making Montgomery, AL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Montgomery, AL

🕒 Local time

02:11 2:11 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

200,603

💱 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 Montgomery, AL 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Montgomery, AL

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 Montgomery, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,157 in Montgomery, AL – Montgomery, AL comes out roughly 29% 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 $3,236 in Montgomery, AL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montgomery, AL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,409 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $56 in Montgomery, AL. 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 Montgomery, AL, where all-in costs run around $2,157, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Montgomery, AL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montgomery, AL – 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 Montgomery, AL. 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.