Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Norfolk, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Norfolk, VA: $2,562 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 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
122

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
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Norfolk, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,562

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Norfolk, VA

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 Norfolk, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,562 in Norfolk, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Norfolk, VA $2,562

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,683 in Norfolk, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Norfolk, VA $3,683

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,805 in Norfolk, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Norfolk, VA $4,805

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Norfolk, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Norfolk, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Norfolk, VA by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.23 $18.23

13.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$88.8 $88.8

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.43 $11.43

15.40%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.59 $5.59

1.25%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.75 $2.75

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.09 $2.09

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.06 $6.06

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.97 $6.97

26.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.03 $1.03

21.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.81 $3.81

-2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.46 $5.46

-1.28%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.68 $4.68

1.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.56 $15.56

-11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.10 $10.10

42.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.63 $18.63

-1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.72 $4.72

10.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.28 $1.28

54.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.09 $5.09

-20.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.86 $5.86

-15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.23 $2.23

19.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.52 $3.52

-24.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.79 $1.79

25.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.14 $2.14

46.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.38 $9.38

47.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.24 $15.24

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.83 $1.83

38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.68 $2.68

30.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$70.0 $70.0

4.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.57 $4.57

-30.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.31 $1.31

6.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$18.06 $18.06

38.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

30.07%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.87%

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

$194 $194

$210 $210

-7.48%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.4 $57.4

21.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$67.0 $67.0

-8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.43 $40.43

18.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$17.83 $17.83

53.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.11 $12.11

47.07%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,279 $1,279

40.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.3K $16.3K

96.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.5 $58.5

14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$46.67 $46.67

11.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

-0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$118 $118

21.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,563 $1,563

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,203 $1,203

31.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,628 $2,628

80.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,737 $1,737

55.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,613 $2,613

60.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,059 $2,059

34.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,581 $3,581

37.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Norfolk, VA

$1.2K 46.9% 23.8% $375

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Norfolk, VA

$415 16.2% 7.3% $33

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Norfolk, VA

$311 12.1% 9.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Norfolk, VA

$335 13.1% 2.8% $9

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Norfolk, VA

$146 5.7% 10.9% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Norfolk, VA

$89 3.5% 4.7% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Norfolk, VA

$65 2.5% 22.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,563 in Norfolk, VA. 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 38% 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 $89 in Norfolk, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $415 in Norfolk, VA – so Norfolk, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

22:21 10:21 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

242,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Norfolk, VA 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Norfolk, VA

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 Norfolk, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,562 in Norfolk, VA – Norfolk, VA comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,843 in Norfolk, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Norfolk, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,563 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Norfolk, VA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Norfolk, VA, where all-in costs run around $2,562, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Norfolk, VA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Norfolk, VA – 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 Norfolk, VA. 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.