Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Pinehurst, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Pinehurst, NC: $2,584 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Pinehurst, NC
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Pinehurst, NC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Pinehurst, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,584

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Pinehurst, NC

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 Pinehurst, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,584 in Pinehurst, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Pinehurst, NC $2,584

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,791 in Pinehurst, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Pinehurst, NC $3,791

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,998 in Pinehurst, NC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Pinehurst, NC $4,998

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Pinehurst, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Pinehurst, NC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Pinehurst, NC by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.28 $22.28

-7.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.1 $61.1

45.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.96 $9.96

32.43%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.07 $5.07

11.64%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.92 $2.92

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.05 $4.05

69.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.08 $6.08

45.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.89 $0.89

40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.43 $4.43

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.25 $2.25

139.56%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.54 $2.54

86.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.85 $8.85

56.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.87 $13.87

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$27.24 $27.24

-32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.71 $6.71

-22.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.28 $1.28

54.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.53 $6.53

-37.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.33 $4.33

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.14 $2.14

24.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.25 $2.25

18.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.96 $1.96

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.92 $2.92

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.03 $8.03

72.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.31 $13.31

11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.69 $1.69

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.60 $4.60

-23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.5 $55.5

32.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$7.03 $7.03

-54.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.31 $2.31

-39.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$15.05 $15.05

66.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.83 $0.83

44.58%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.7K $29.7K

18.05%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.28%

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

$194 $194

$173 $173

12.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$34.37 $34.37

102.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$62.7 $62.7

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.51 $41.51

15.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.02 $12.02

48.17%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,295 $1,295

38.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,991 $9,991

219.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$38.33 $38.33

74.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$31.43 $31.43

65.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$85.0 $85.0

19.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$94.7 $94.7

51.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,622 $1,622

55.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,296 $1,296

21.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,487 $2,487

90.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,167 $2,167

24.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,307 $2,307

81.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,342 $2,342

18.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,440 $2,440

102.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.68

1.95%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pinehurst, NC: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Pinehurst, NC

$1.3K 50.2% 17.8% $282

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Pinehurst, NC

$437 16.9% 2.3% $10

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Pinehurst, NC

$321 12.4% 7% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Pinehurst, NC

$270 10.5% 16.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Pinehurst, NC

$112 4.3% 31.6% $52

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Pinehurst, NC

$82 3.2% 12.4% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Pinehurst, NC

$66 2.5% 21.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,622 in Pinehurst, NC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $61 in Pinehurst, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $437 – making Pinehurst, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pinehurst, NC

🕒 Local time

22:45 10:45 PM

23:45 11:45 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

17,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Pinehurst, NC 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Pinehurst, NC

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 Pinehurst, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,584 in Pinehurst, NC – Pinehurst, NC comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,877 in Pinehurst, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pinehurst, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,622 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

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

Public transport costs about 25% less in Pinehurst, NC. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,584 in Pinehurst, NC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pinehurst, NC – 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 Pinehurst, NC. 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.