Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Richmond, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Richmond, VA: $2,888 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 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
139

Cost of Living Index in Richmond, VA
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Richmond, VA Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Richmond, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,888

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Richmond, VA

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 Richmond, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,888 in Richmond, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Richmond, VA $2,888

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,184 in Richmond, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Richmond, VA $4,184

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,480 in Richmond, VA, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Richmond, VA $5,480

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Richmond, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Richmond, VA sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Richmond, VA by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.80 $24.80

-16.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$98.6 $98.6

-9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.56 $13.56

-2.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.99 $5.99

-5.51%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.74 $2.74

-3.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.19 $7.19

-4.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.16 $8.16

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.15 $1.15

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.20 $4.20

-11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.83 $3.83

40.73%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$6.38 $6.38

-25.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.70 $9.70

42.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.42 $11.42

26.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$20.96 $20.96

-12.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.83 $4.83

8.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 $1.42

39.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.94 $3.94

3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.33 $4.33

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.86 $2.86

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.43 $2.43

9.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.66 $2.66

-15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.07 $2.07

51.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.86 $9.86

40.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.16 $13.16

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.26 $2.26

12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.53 $4.53

-22.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$29.90 $29.90

145.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.57 $2.57

23.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 $1.58

-12.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$22.48 $22.48

11.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.12%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.65%

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

$194 $194

$209 $209

-6.89%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$61.9 $61.9

12.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$70.8 $70.8

-12.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$56.4 $56.4

-15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$20.11 $20.11

35.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.19 $15.19

17.25%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,245 $1,245

44.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.0K $31.0K

3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$94.4 $94.4

-29.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$46.32 $46.32

12.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,655 $1,655

52.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,465 $1,465

7.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,726 $2,726

73.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,225 $2,225

21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,132 $3,132

33.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,846 $2,846

-2.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,325 $4,325

14.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.49

4.93%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Richmond, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Richmond, VA

$1.5K 50.7% 7.2% $113

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Richmond, VA

$409 14.2% 8.6% $38

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Richmond, VA

$384 13.3% 11.2% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Richmond, VA

$342 11.8% 4.9% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Richmond, VA

$161 5.6% 1.6% $2.6

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Richmond, VA

$40 * 1.4% 56.7% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Richmond, VA

$87 3% 4% $3.3

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 $1,655 in Richmond, VA. 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 14% 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 $99 in Richmond, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $409 in Richmond, VA – so Richmond, VA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Richmond, VA

🕒 Local time

17:59 5:59 PM

18:59 6:59 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

226,610

💱 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 Richmond, VA 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Richmond, VA

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 Richmond, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,888 in Richmond, VA – Richmond, VA comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,332 in Richmond, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Richmond, VA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,655 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $99 in Richmond, VA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,888 in Richmond, VA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Richmond, VA – 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 Richmond, VA. 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.