Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Parker, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Parker, CO: $2,615 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

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

Cost of Living Index in Parker, CO
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Parker, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Parker, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,615

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Parker, CO

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 Parker, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,615 in Parker, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Parker, CO $2,615

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,880 in Parker, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Parker, CO $3,880

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,144 in Parker, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Parker, CO $5,144

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Parker, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Parker, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Parker, CO by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.03 $20.03

3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.0 $79.0

12.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.08 $11.08

19.04%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.75 $5.75

-1.57%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.06 $2.06

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.92 $5.92

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.05 $7.05

25.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.88 $0.88

42.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.92 $2.92

27.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.78 $2.78

93.88%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.33 $4.33

9.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.62 $8.62

60.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.52 $9.52

51.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.37 $15.37

19.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.84 $4.84

7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.24 $1.24

59.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.66 $4.66

-12.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.31 $5.31

-6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.60 $1.60

66.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.38 $2.38

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.93 $1.93

16.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.71 $1.71

83.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.32 $10.32

33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.02 $15.02

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.52 $2.52

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.61 $2.61

34.48%

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

$2.44 $2.44

30.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.83 $1.83

-24.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.58 $24.58

1.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.85 $0.85

41.18%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

22.93%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.33%

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

$194 $194

$215 $215

-9.54%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.9 $56.9

21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.3 $70.3

-12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$64.1 $64.1

-25.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.80 $10.80

64.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,111 $1,111

61.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.6K $12.6K

154.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.4 $58.4

14.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.31 $40.31

29.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$79.9 $79.9

27.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$115 $115

24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,599 $1,599

57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,370 $1,370

15.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,662 $2,662

77.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,407 $2,407

11.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,474 $3,474

20.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,104 $3,104

-10.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,415 $6,415

-23.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.38

6.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Parker, CO: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Parker, CO

$1.4K 52.4% 13.2% $208

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Parker, CO

$348 13.3% 22.1% $99

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Parker, CO

$325 12.4% 5.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Parker, CO

$342 13.1% 5.1% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Parker, CO

$132 5.1% 19.3% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Parker, CO

$12 * 0.4% 87.6% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Parker, CO

$86 3.3% 2.6% $2.2

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 $1,599 in Parker, CO. 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 30% higher in Parker, CO, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Parker, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $348 – making Parker, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Parker, CO

🕒 Local time

17:58 5:58 PM

16:58 4:58 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

49,550

💱 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 Parker, CO 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Parker, CO

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 Parker, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,615 in Parker, CO – Parker, CO comes out roughly 14% 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 $3,922 in Parker, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Parker, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,599 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

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

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,615 in Parker, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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