Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rock Hill, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Rock Hill, SC: $2,102 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in Rock Hill, SC
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Rock Hill, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Rock Hill, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,102

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Rock Hill, SC

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 Rock Hill, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,102 in Rock Hill, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Rock Hill, SC $2,102

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,068 in Rock Hill, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Rock Hill, SC $3,068

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,033 in Rock Hill, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Rock Hill, SC $4,033

Chicago, IL costs about 46% more than Rock Hill, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Rock Hill, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Rock Hill, SC by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$22.54 $22.54

-9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$81.2 $81.2

9.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.03 $10.03

28.12%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.20 $5.20

11.15%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.89 $2.89

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.04 $2.04

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.12 $5.12

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.90 $5.90

56.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.75 $0.75

68.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.84 $2.84

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.05 $3.05

76.39%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$5.59 $5.59

-18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.03 $11.03

23.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$10.85 $10.85

29.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$7.59 $7.59

137.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.82 $2.82

82.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 $1.45

36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$6.52 $6.52

-40.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.33 $4.33

11.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.26 $3.26

-13.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.24 $3.24

-17.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.05 $2.05

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.03 $2.03

49.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.98 $8.98

54.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$9.82 $9.82

53.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.66 $1.66

58.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.40 $3.40

1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.63 $3.63

-12.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.34 $1.34

26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$15.28 $15.28

62.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.90 $0.90

42.22%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.5K $30.5K

17.15%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.17%

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

$192 $192

$148 $148

30.00%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$51.0 $51.0

36.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$52.0 $52.0

19.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$20.38 $20.38

134.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$6.81 $6.81

297.94%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.10 $12.10

47.36%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,300 $1,300

39.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$25.0K $25.0K

62.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$38.96 $38.96

69.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$31.36 $31.36

63.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$85.7 $85.7

20.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$93.7 $93.7

52.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,247 $1,247

102.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,020 $1,020

58.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,684 $1,684

186.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,512 $1,512

80.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,508 $3,508

40.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.68

1.50%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Rock Hill, SC: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Rock Hill, SC

$1K 48.5% 37.1% $601

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Rock Hill, SC

$335 15.9% 23.8% $105

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Rock Hill, SC

$330 15.7% 4.1% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Rock Hill, SC

$251 11.9% 22.6% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Rock Hill, SC

$112 5.4% 31.3% $51

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Rock Hill, SC

$10 * 0.5% 89.3% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Rock Hill, SC

$45 2.1% 46.6% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,247 in Rock Hill, SC. 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 40% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $81 in Rock Hill, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $335 – making Rock Hill, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rock Hill, SC

🕒 Local time

02:13 2:13 AM

03:13 3:13 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

74,102

💱 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 Rock Hill, SC 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rock Hill, SC

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 Rock Hill, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,102 in Rock Hill, SC – Rock Hill, SC comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,154 in Rock Hill, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rock Hill, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,247 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in Rock Hill, SC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Rock Hill, SC, where all-in costs run around $2,102, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Rock Hill, SC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rock Hill, SC – 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 Rock Hill, SC. 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.