Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Owensboro, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Owensboro, KY: $1,977 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 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
95

Cost of Living Index in Owensboro, KY
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Owensboro, KY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Owensboro, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,977

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Owensboro, KY

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 Owensboro, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,977 in Owensboro, KY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Owensboro, KY $1,977

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,919 in Owensboro, KY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Owensboro, KY $2,919

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,861 in Owensboro, KY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Owensboro, KY $3,861

Chicago, IL costs about 54% more than Owensboro, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Owensboro, KY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Owensboro, KY by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.39 $19.39

6.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.8 $59.8

49.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.82 $9.82

34.32%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.53 $5.53

2.35%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.88 $1.88

40.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.35 $1.35

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.99 $3.99

72.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.96 $4.96

78.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.79 $0.79

58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.24 $3.24

14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.28 $4.28

25.93%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.02 $3.02

56.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$6.67 $6.67

107.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.01 $11.01

30.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.10 $12.10

51.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.34 $4.34

20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.24 $1.24

59.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.69 $2.69

50.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.56 $3.56

39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.27 $2.27

17.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.17 $2.17

22.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.06 $2.06

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.51 $1.51

107.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.73 $8.73

58.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$7.85 $7.85

89.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.86 $1.86

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.94 $4.94

-28.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.02 $1.02

138.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.58 $30.58

140.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.54 $5.54

-42.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.04 $1.04

33.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$18.13 $18.13

38.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.9K $27.9K

25.64%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

-1.91%

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

$194 $194

$172 $172

13.10%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.9 $60.9

14.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.7 $59.7

3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$49.91 $49.91

-4.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$10.17 $10.17

168.83%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.19 $13.19

35.03%

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

$1,794 $1,794

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$74.5 $74.5

-10.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.29 $43.29

20.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$68.0 $68.0

49.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$89.3 $89.3

61.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$844 $844

199.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$834 $834

89.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,441 $1,441

228.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,364 $1,364

97.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,744 $1,744

140.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,738 $1,738

59.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,362 $3,362

46.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.55

3.97%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Owensboro, KY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Owensboro, KY

$834 42.2% 47.1% $744

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Owensboro, KY

$311 15.7% 30.5% $136

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Owensboro, KY

$294 14.9% 14.8% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Owensboro, KY

$293 14.8% 10.1% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Owensboro, KY

$124 6.3% 24.5% $40

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Owensboro, KY

$45 2.3% 51.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Owensboro, KY

$76 3.9% 8.7% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $844 in Owensboro, KY. 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 47% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $60 in Owensboro, KY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $311 – making Owensboro, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Owensboro, KY

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

55,525

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Owensboro, KY 460 km

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Chicago, IL
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Owensboro, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,977 in Owensboro, KY – Owensboro, KY comes out roughly 35% 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 $2,965 in Owensboro, KY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Owensboro, KY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $844 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Owensboro, KY. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,977 in Owensboro, KY to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Owensboro, KY. 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.