Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mount Pleasant, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Pleasant, SC: $2,782 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Mount Pleasant, SC
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Mount Pleasant, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Mount Pleasant, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Mount Pleasant, SC

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 Mount Pleasant, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,782 in Mount Pleasant, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Mount Pleasant, SC $2,782

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,978 in Mount Pleasant, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Mount Pleasant, SC $3,978

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,174 in Mount Pleasant, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Mount Pleasant, SC $5,174

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Mount Pleasant, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Mount Pleasant, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Mount Pleasant, SC by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.83 $19.83

4.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$79.7 $79.7

13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.05 $11.05

17.10%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.71 $5.71

-1.93%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.66 $2.66

-0.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.17 $2.17

4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.09 $6.09

14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.22 $8.22

7.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.99 $0.99

28.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.00 $4.00

-5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.20 $3.20

65.62%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.38 $4.38

8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$16.35 $16.35

-14.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.77 $14.77

-1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.25 $18.25

2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.18 $5.18

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.48 $1.48

33.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.70 $4.70

-16.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.72 $4.72

5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.79 $3.79

-27.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.14 $3.14

-12.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.03 $2.03

9.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.32 $2.32

28.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.39 $8.39

67.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.20 $15.20

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.46 $2.46

4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.96 $2.96

18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.94 $1.94

27.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.93 $2.93

13.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.22 $1.22

17.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.48 $29.48

-17.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.98 $0.98

28.57%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

34.59%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.38%

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

$193 $193

$172 $172

11.72%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$67.1 $67.1

1.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$79.6 $79.6

-23.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.23 $41.23

31.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.23 $14.23

24.67%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,250 $1,250

32.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.6K $24.6K

26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$51.3 $51.3

28.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$36.69 $36.69

39.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$95.3 $95.3

5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$137 $137

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,577 $1,577

55.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,468 $1,468

14.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,836 $2,836

66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,226 $2,226

25.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,742 $2,742

49.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,341 $2,341

13.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$6,633 $6,633

-26.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.48

5.09%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mount Pleasant, SC: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$1.5K 52.8% 12.5% $210

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$437 15.7% 2.7% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$326 11.7% 5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$319 11.5% 1% $3.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$144 5.2% 10.5% $17

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$17 * 0.6% 82.4% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Mount Pleasant, SC

$70 2.5% 22.2% $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 $1,577 in Mount Pleasant, SC. 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 36% higher in Mount Pleasant, SC, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $80.0 in Mount Pleasant, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $437 – making Mount Pleasant, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Mount Pleasant, SC

🕒 Local time

05:19 5:19 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

15,202

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Mount Pleasant, SC 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Mount Pleasant, SC

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 Mount Pleasant, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,782 in Mount Pleasant, SC – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,173 in Mount Pleasant, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mount Pleasant, SC, 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 $80.0 in Mount Pleasant, SC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,782 in Mount Pleasant, SC. 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 $2,782 in Mount Pleasant, SC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mount Pleasant, SC. 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.