Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Orem, UT

For one person, living is cheaper in Orem, UT: $2,457 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Orem, UT
Learn more

Orem, UT Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Orem, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,457

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Orem, UT

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 Orem, UT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,457 in Orem, UT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Orem, UT $2,457

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,366 in Orem, UT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Orem, UT $3,366

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,274 in Orem, UT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Orem, UT $4,274

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than Orem, UT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Orem, UT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Orem, UT by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.05 $15.05

37.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.1 $61.1

46.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.14 $11.14

18.40%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.58 $4.58

23.58%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.81 $1.81

45.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.52 $1.52

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.83 $5.83

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.86 $6.86

28.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.98 $0.98

27.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.21 $3.21

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.42 $2.42

122.73%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.07 $3.07

54.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.09 $14.09

-1.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.33 $13.33

8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.84 $18.84

-2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.94 $2.94

77.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.58 $2.58

57.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.47 $4.47

11.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.29 $1.29

106.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.69 $1.69

32.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.93 $1.93

62.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.50 $9.50

45.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.14 $15.14

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.17 $2.17

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.94 $2.94

19.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.57 $2.57

-5.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$84.6 $84.6

-13.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.47 $1.47

116.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.97 $0.97

43.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$20.11 $20.11

24.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

37.79%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.99%

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

$194 $194

$167 $167

16.66%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$43.36 $43.36

60.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.7 $60.7

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$22.61 $22.61

111.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.11 $15.11

17.87%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$948 $948

89.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,866 $9,866

223.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.0 $54.0

24.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.64 $41.64

25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.0 $84.0

20.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$132 $132

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,648 $1,648

53.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,261 $1,261

25.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,210 $2,210

114.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,663 $1,663

61.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,717 $2,717

54.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,182 $2,182

26.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,677 $3,677

34.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.83

-0.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Orem, UT: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Orem, UT

$1.3K 51.3% 20.1% $317

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Orem, UT

$366 * 14.9% 18.1% $81

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Orem, UT

$265 10.8% 23.2% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Orem, UT

$271 11% 16.8% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Orem, UT

$140 5.7% 14.5% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Orem, UT

$101 4.1% 8.4% $7.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Orem, UT

$53 2.2% 36.7% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,648 in Orem, UT. 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 34% 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 $61 in Orem, UT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $366 – making Orem, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Orem, UT

🕒 Local time

07:05 7:05 AM

06:05 6:05 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

98,129

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Orem, UT 2,020 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Orem, UT

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 Orem, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,457 in Orem, UT – Orem, UT comes out roughly 19% 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 $3,685 in Orem, UT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Orem, UT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,648 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Orem, UT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Orem, UT – 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 Orem, UT. 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.