Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rock Springs, WY

For one person, living is cheaper in Rock Springs, WY: $2,444 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Rock Springs, WY
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Rock Springs, WY Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Rock Springs, WY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,444

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Rock Springs, WY

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 Springs, WY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Rock Springs, WY $2,444

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,553 in Rock Springs, WY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Rock Springs, WY $3,553

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,662 in Rock Springs, WY, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Rock Springs, WY $4,662

Chicago, IL costs about 28% more than Rock Springs, WY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Rock Springs, WY sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Rock Springs, WY by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$17.73 $17.73

16.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$73.2 $73.2

23.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.81 $9.81

31.91%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.97 $4.97

12.68%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.30 $2.30

14.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.65 $1.65

37.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.90 $4.90

42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.84 $5.84

51.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.88 $0.88

44.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.95 $3.95

-3.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.80 $1.80

194.44%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.95 $2.95

61.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.90 $10.90

28.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$9.96 $9.96

46.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.13 $17.13

9.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.98 $3.98

30.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.35 $1.35

46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.36 $3.36

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.88 $2.88

72.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.93 $1.93

43.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.51 $2.51

9.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.94 $1.94

14.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.99 $0.99

201.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.92 $8.92

57.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.95 $14.95

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.63 $2.63

-1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.27 $3.27

7.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.72 $1.72

43.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.46 $2.46

35.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.27 $2.27

-37.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$25.36 $25.36

-4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

0.05%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.0K $24.0K

8.67%

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

$193 $193

$197 $197

-2.34%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$44.10 $44.10

54.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$79.8 $79.8

-23.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.29 $42.29

27.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.05 $15.05

17.87%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,294 $1,294

27.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.5K $20.5K

51.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$49.17 $49.17

34.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$46.34 $46.34

10.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$81.3 $81.3

23.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$106 $106

32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$791 $791

209.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,283 $1,283

30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,519 $2,519

87.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,113 $2,113

32.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,563 $1,563

162.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,608 $1,608

64.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.46

5.42%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rock Springs, WY: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Rock Springs, WY

$1.3K 52.5% 23.5% $395

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Rock Springs, WY

$337 13.8% 25% $112

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Rock Springs, WY

$283 11.6% 17.6% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Rock Springs, WY

$321 13.1% 0.3% $1.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Rock Springs, WY

$127 5.2% 21% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Rock Springs, WY

$21 * 0.9% 78.3% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Rock Springs, WY

$72 3% 19.2% $17

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 $791 in Rock Springs, WY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $73.0 in Rock Springs, WY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $337 – making Rock Springs, WY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rock Springs, WY

🕒 Local time

01:02 1:02 AM

00:02 12:02 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

22,105

💱 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 Springs, WY 1,790 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rock Springs, WY

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 Springs, WY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY – roughly 28% 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 $3,667 in Rock Springs, WY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rock Springs, WY, 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 $73.0 in Rock Springs, WY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rock Springs, WY, where all-in costs run around $2,444, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Rock Springs, WY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,444 in Rock Springs, WY to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Rock Springs, WY. 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.