Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and North Platte, NE

For one person, living is cheaper in North Platte, NE: $2,831 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in North Platte, NE
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North Platte, NE Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

North Platte, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,831

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in North Platte, NE

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 Platte, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,831 in North Platte, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
North Platte, NE $2,831

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,122 in North Platte, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
North Platte, NE $4,122

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,412 in North Platte, NE, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
North Platte, NE $5,412

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than North Platte, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and North Platte, NE sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, North Platte, NE by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$22.38 $22.38

-8.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$78.6 $78.6

12.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$13.05 $13.05

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.78 $4.78

20.92%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.67 $2.67

2.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.09 $2.09

8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.29 $6.29

9.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.47 $7.47

23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.05 $1.05

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.62 $3.62

-1.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.16 $4.16

29.33%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.68 $3.68

23.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.76 $12.76

6.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.49 $10.49

34.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.92 $14.92

21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.72 $4.72

9.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.71 $4.71

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.77 $4.77

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.73 $2.73

2.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.23 $3.23

-17.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.23 $2.23

-7.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.46 $2.46

23.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.91 $10.91

27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.21 $15.21

-1.05%

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

$3.74 $3.74

-7.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.07 $2.07

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.1 $60.1

25.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.03 $3.03

4.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.90 $1.90

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$30.94 $30.94

-19.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.12 $1.12

14.29%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$28.2K $28.2K

26.92%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.5K $23.5K

14.26%

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

$192 $192

$228 $228

-15.83%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$62.1 $62.1

12.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$75.9 $75.9

-18.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$42.39 $42.39

12.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$15.62 $15.62

14.15%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,513 $1,513

19.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.0K $20.0K

103.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$49.25 $49.25

34.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$47.40 $47.40

8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$91.0 $91.0

13.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$125 $125

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,641 $1,641

54.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,437 $1,437

12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,652 $2,652

82.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,384 $2,384

14.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,903 $1,903

118.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,855 $1,855

46.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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 Platte, NE: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

North Platte, NE

$1.4K 50.8% 11.3% $184

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

North Platte, NE

$391 13.8% 11% $48

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

North Platte, NE

$341 12% 0.9% $3.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

North Platte, NE

$366 12.9% 13.1% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

North Platte, NE

$141 5% 13.9% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

North Platte, NE

$81 2.9% 16.3% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

North Platte, NE

$74 2.6% 11.8% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,641 in North Platte, NE. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in North Platte, NE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $391 – making North Platte, NE the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 North Platte, NE

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

24,386

💱 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 North Platte, NE 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
North Platte, NE

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 Platte, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,831 in North Platte, NE – North Platte, NE comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,246 in North Platte, NE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in North Platte, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,641 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in North Platte, NE. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward North Platte, NE – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, North Platte, NE is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 8% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.