Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Paola, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Paola, KS: $2,587 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 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
119

Cost of Living Index in Paola, KS
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Paola, KS Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Paola, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,587

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Paola, KS

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 Paola, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,587 in Paola, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Paola, KS $2,587

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,553 in Paola, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Paola, KS $3,553

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,520 in Paola, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Paola, KS $4,520

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Paola, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Paola, KS sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Paola, KS by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.15 $16.15

26.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$72.6 $72.6

22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.02 $12.02

6.91%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.87 $4.87

18.69%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.47 $2.47

10.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.12 $2.12

6.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.86 $4.86

41.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.54 $5.54

66.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.13 $1.13

11.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.82 $2.82

25.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.32 $4.32

24.54%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.38 $3.38

34.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.52 $11.52

18.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.88 $11.88

18.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.24 $14.24

26.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.06 $4.06

27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.01 $2.01

-1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.71 $4.71

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.59 $4.59

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.75 $2.75

2.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 $2.57

3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.68 $1.68

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.04 $2.04

48.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.13 $8.13

70.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$16.47 $16.47

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.00 $2.00

31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.32 $2.32

48.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.18 $2.18

11.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$52.9 $52.9

42.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.90 $4.90

-35.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.00 $1.00

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$22.34 $22.34

11.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.02 $1.02

25.49%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$35.3K $35.3K

1.27%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.46%

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

$192 $192

$185 $185

3.92%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$45.49 $45.49

52.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$57.1 $57.1

8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$38.92 $38.92

22.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.54 $12.54

42.19%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,221 $1,221

48.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$15.1K $15.1K

169.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$48.10 $48.10

37.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$33.50 $33.50

53.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$93.4 $93.4

10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$85.8 $85.8

66.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,438 $1,438

76.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,396 $1,396

16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,611 $2,611

84.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,882 $1,882

45.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,511 $2,511

65.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,171 $2,171

25.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.54

3.67%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Paola, KS: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Paola, KS

$1.4K 54% 13.9% $225

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Paola, KS

$373 14.4% 15% $66

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Paola, KS

$277 10.7% 19.3% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Paola, KS

$287 11.1% 11.3% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Paola, KS

$117 4.5% 28.3% $46

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Paola, KS

$72 2.8% 26% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Paola, KS

$64 2.5% 23.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,438 in Paola, KS. 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 $73 in Paola, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $373 – making Paola, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Paola, KS

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

5,600

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Paola, KS 720 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Paola, KS

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 Paola, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,587 in Paola, KS – Paola, KS comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,880 in Paola, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paola, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,438 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $73 in Paola, KS. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,587 in Paola, KS. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Paola, KS is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.