Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Queen Creek, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,298 in Queen Creek, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Queen Creek, AZ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
161

Cost of Living Index in Queen Creek, AZ
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Queen Creek, AZ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Queen Creek, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,298

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Queen Creek, AZ

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 Queen Creek, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,298 in Queen Creek, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Queen Creek, AZ $3,298

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,978 in Queen Creek, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Queen Creek, AZ $4,978

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,658 in Queen Creek, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Queen Creek, AZ $6,658

Chicago, IL is about 5% cheaper than Queen Creek, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Queen Creek, AZ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Queen Creek, AZ by 143%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.47 $19.47

6.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$81.4 $81.4

10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.74 $12.74

1.57%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.14 $5.14

8.95%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.66 $2.66

-0.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.13 $2.13

6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.86 $6.86

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.54 $7.54

17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.69 $0.69

84.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.45 $2.45

55.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.10 $2.10

152.38%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.57 $3.57

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.28 $13.28

5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.68 $8.68

68.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.36 $17.36

8.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.62 $4.62

12.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.78 $1.78

11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.52 $2.52

55.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.81 $2.81

76.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.07 $2.07

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.09 $2.09

32.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.30 $1.30

70.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.09 $2.09

42.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.84 $10.84

29.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.33 $9.33

63.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.45 $2.45

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.59 $3.59

-2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.82 $2.82

18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.39 $1.39

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$36.30 $36.30

-33.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.08 $1.08

16.67%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.9K $32.9K

6.35%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.17%

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

$193 $193

$201 $201

-4.30%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$61.9 $61.9

10.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$75.2 $75.2

-18.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$24.90 $24.90

117.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$15.15 $15.15

84.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.04 $13.04

36.04%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$597 $597

176.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$15.8K $15.8K

96.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$49.08 $49.08

34.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$19.72 $19.72

159.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$96.4 $96.4

3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$113 $113

24.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,791 $2,791

-12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$2,123 $2,123

-20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$5,004 $5,004

-5.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$4,031 $4,031

-30.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$6,028 $6,028

-19.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.44

5.75%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Queen Creek, AZ: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Queen Creek, AZ

$2.1K 64.4% 26.6% $445

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Queen Creek, AZ

$326 9.9% 27.4% $123

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Queen Creek, AZ

$324 9.8% 5.6% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Queen Creek, AZ

$338 10.3% 5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Queen Creek, AZ

$125 3.8% 22.3% $36

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Queen Creek, AZ

$9.8 * 0.3% 89.7% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Queen Creek, AZ

$51 1.6% 43.1% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,791 in Queen Creek, AZ. 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 24% higher in Queen Creek, AZ, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $81.0 in Queen Creek, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $326 – making Queen Creek, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Queen Creek, AZ

🕒 Local time

23:23 11:23 PM

21:23 9:23 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

59,519

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Queen Creek, AZ 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Queen Creek, AZ

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 Queen Creek, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $3,298 in Queen Creek, AZ – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,947 in Queen Creek, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $81.0 in Queen Creek, AZ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% cheaper in Queen Creek, AZ – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $3,298 in Queen Creek, AZ. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,298 in Queen Creek, AZ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Queen Creek, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.