Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rapid City, SD

For one person, living is cheaper in Rapid City, SD: $2,431 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
116

Cost of Living Index in Rapid City, SD
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Rapid City, SD Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Rapid City, SD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,431

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Rapid City, SD

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 Rapid City, SD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,431 in Rapid City, SD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Rapid City, SD $2,431

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,376 in Rapid City, SD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Rapid City, SD $3,376

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,320 in Rapid City, SD, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Rapid City, SD $4,320

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than Rapid City, SD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Rapid City, SD sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Rapid City, SD by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.22 $17.22

20.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.6 $61.6

44.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.88 $10.88

21.23%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.33 $2.33

13.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.71 $1.71

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.02 $4.02

70.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.43 $5.43

62.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.12 $3.12

19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.94 $1.94

177.84%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.36 $4.36

8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.35 $13.35

3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.16 $8.16

76.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.60 $12.60

45.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.53 $3.53

47.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.29 $1.29

53.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.60 $2.60

56.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.74 $3.74

32.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.87 $1.87

42.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.62 $2.62

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.09 $2.09

7.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.95 $2.95

6.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.78 $9.78

41.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.94 $13.94

6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.89 $4.89

-28.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.47 $1.47

65.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.31 $30.31

142.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.98 $2.98

6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.21 $1.21

14.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.35 $25.35

-1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.87 $0.87

37.93%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.4K $35.4K

-0.94%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$31.7K $31.7K

-15.91%

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

$194 $194

0.34%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$46.70 $46.70

48.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.5 $60.5

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$50.9 $50.9

-5.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$14.83 $14.83

84.36%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.79 $11.79

51.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$767 $767

133.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$62.6 $62.6

6.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$75.4 $75.4

-30.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$77.6 $77.6

30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$111 $111

29.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$973 $973

159.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,237 $1,237

27.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,751 $1,751

170.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,729 $1,729

55.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,637 $2,637

58.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,608 $2,608

6.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,923 $3,923

25.67%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Rapid City, SD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Rapid City, SD

$1.2K 50.9% 21.6% $341

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Rapid City, SD

$341 14% 23.7% $106

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Rapid City, SD

$285 11.7% 17.2% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Rapid City, SD

$301 12.4% 7.6% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Rapid City, SD

$147 6% 10.4% $17

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Rapid City, SD

$45 1.9% 51.6% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Rapid City, SD

$74 3.1% 10.9% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $973 in Rapid City, SD. 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 26% 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 $62 in Rapid City, SD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $341 – making Rapid City, SD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rapid City, SD

🕒 Local time

11:06 11:06 AM

10:06 10:06 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

74,703

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Rapid City, SD 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rapid City, SD

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 Rapid City, SD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,431 in Rapid City, SD – roughly 25% 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 $3,646 in Rapid City, SD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rapid City, SD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $973 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $62 in Rapid City, SD. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,431 in Rapid City, SD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Rapid City, SD – 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 Rapid City, SD. 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.