Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and North Charleston, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in North Charleston, SC: $2,964 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
141

Cost of Living Index in North Charleston, SC
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North Charleston, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in North Charleston, 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 North Charleston, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,964 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
North Charleston, SC $2,964

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,247 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
North Charleston, SC $4,247

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,530 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
North Charleston, SC $5,530

Chicago, IL costs about 4% more than North Charleston, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and North Charleston, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, North Charleston, SC by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.99 $19.99

2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$90.6 $90.6

-2.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.77 $11.77

9.18%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.85 $5.85

-1.20%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.92 $2.92

-6.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.48 $2.48

-8.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.86 $5.86

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.03 $8.03

15.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.74 $3.74

-5.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.52 $4.52

19.03%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.94 $4.94

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$6.98 $6.98

95.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.80 $14.80

-4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$20.65 $20.65

-12.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$7.99 $7.99

-35.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.03 $5.03

-22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.17 $6.17

-21.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.24 $4.24

-33.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.25 $3.25

-17.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.69 $2.69

-23.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.97 $1.97

53.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.07 $9.07

53.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.52 $15.52

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.11 $2.11

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.98 $2.98

15.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.47 $2.47

-1.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$50.1 $50.1

50.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.94 $2.94

7.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.22 $1.22

39.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$25.47 $25.47

-2.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.01 $1.01

26.73%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

33.83%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

6.90%

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

$192 $192

$233 $233

-17.51%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$74.5 $74.5

-6.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$84.9 $84.9

-26.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$17.26 $17.26

176.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.28 $14.28

24.86%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$933 $933

94.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$18.4K $18.4K

120.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$55.8 $55.8

18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$43.75 $43.75

17.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$115 $115

-9.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$129 $129

10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,000 $2,000

26.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,525 $1,525

6.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,474 $2,474

95.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,330 $2,330

17.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,861 $2,861

45.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,816 $2,816

-3.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,763 $3,763

30.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.61

2.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 51.5% 5.9% $96

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

North Charleston, SC

$445 15% 1.3% $5.6

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

North Charleston, SC

$332 11.2% 3.4% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

North Charleston, SC

$392 13.2% 21.1% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

North Charleston, SC

$155 5.2% 5.5% $9.1

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

North Charleston, SC

$69 2.3% 28.6% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

North Charleston, SC

$46 1.6% 45.1% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,000 in North Charleston, 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 31% 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 $91 in North Charleston, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $445 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

23:56 11:56 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

97,471

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL North Charleston, SC 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
North Charleston, 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 North Charleston, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,964 in North Charleston, SC – North Charleston, SC comes out roughly 4% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,446 in North Charleston, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in North Charleston, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,000 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,815 per month in Chicago, IL and $933 in North Charleston, SC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,964 in North Charleston, SC. That makes North Charleston, SC about 4% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,964 in North Charleston, SC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward North Charleston, SC – 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 North Charleston, SC. 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.