Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Pahrump, NV

For one person, living is cheaper in Pahrump, NV: $1,921 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 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
92

Cost of Living Index in Pahrump, NV
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Pahrump, NV Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Pahrump, NV

🇺🇸 United States

$1,921

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Pahrump, NV

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 Pahrump, NV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,921 in Pahrump, NV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Pahrump, NV $1,921

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,945 in Pahrump, NV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Pahrump, NV $2,945

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,968 in Pahrump, NV, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Pahrump, NV $3,968

Chicago, IL costs about 58% more than Pahrump, NV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Pahrump, NV sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Pahrump, NV by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.66 $24.66

-16.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$34.44 $34.44

159.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.26 $9.26

42.44%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.88 $3.88

45.88%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.52 $1.52

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.98 $0.98

132.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$2.99 $2.99

129.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$3.06 $3.06

188.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.87 $0.87

43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.49 $2.49

49.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.83 $3.83

40.73%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.35 $4.35

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$4.95 $4.95

179.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.80 $9.80

46.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.01 $16.01

14.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.22 $4.22

23.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.60 $1.60

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.63 $3.63

11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.88 $3.88

28.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.37 $2.37

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.27 $2.27

17.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.92 $1.92

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.65 $1.65

89.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.55 $8.55

61.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.45 $8.45

76.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.61 $2.61

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.01 $3.01

16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.69 $3.69

-13.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.62 $2.62

-46.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$34.47 $34.47

-27.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.97 $0.97

23.71%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.7K $36.7K

-4.44%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.8K $27.8K

-3.91%

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

$194 $194

$206 $206

-5.55%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$44.23 $44.23

57.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$66.2 $66.2

-6.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$24.84 $24.84

92.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.05 $12.05

47.80%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,018 $1,018

76.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

27.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$42.31 $42.31

58.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$19.72 $19.72

164.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$83.4 $83.4

21.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$92.6 $92.6

55.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$785 $785

221.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$812 $812

94.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,614 $1,614

193.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,697 $1,697

58.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,398 $2,398

74.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,449 $2,449

13.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,550 $2,550

93.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.96

14.26%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pahrump, NV: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Pahrump, NV

$812 42.3% 48.6% $766

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Pahrump, NV

$318 16.5% 28.9% $129

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Pahrump, NV

$303 15.8% 12.2% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Pahrump, NV

$316 16.5% 2.8% $9.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Pahrump, NV

$107 5.6% 34.7% $57

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Pahrump, NV

$17 * 0.9% 82% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Pahrump, NV

$49 2.6% 41.4% $35

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 $785 in Pahrump, NV. 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 93% 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 $34 in Pahrump, NV. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $318 – making Pahrump, NV the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pahrump, NV

🕒 Local time

13:01 1:01 PM

11:01 11:01 AM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

38,390

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Pahrump, NV 2,520 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Pahrump, NV

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 Pahrump, NV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,921 in Pahrump, NV – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,882 in Pahrump, NV. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pahrump, NV, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $785 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $34 in Pahrump, NV. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Pahrump, NV, where all-in costs run around $1,921, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Pahrump, NV it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pahrump, NV – 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 Pahrump, NV. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.