Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Rutland, VT

For one person, living is cheaper in Rutland, VT: $2,352 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 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
113

Cost of Living Index in Rutland, VT
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Rutland, VT Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Rutland, VT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,352

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Rutland, VT

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 Rutland, VT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,352 in Rutland, VT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Rutland, VT $2,352

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,163 in Rutland, VT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Rutland, VT $4,163

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,974 in Rutland, VT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Rutland, VT $5,974

Chicago, IL costs about 29% more than Rutland, VT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Rutland, VT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Rutland, VT by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.95 $19.95

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$98.5 $98.5

-9.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.74 $14.74

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.99 $3.99

41.85%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.62 $2.62

0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.01 $1.01

125.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.02 $6.02

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$10.34 $10.34

-14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.82 $0.82

52.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.23 $2.23

66.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.73 $6.73

-19.91%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.05 $4.05

17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$6.65 $6.65

108.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.37 $13.37

7.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.52 $18.52

-0.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.37 $1.37

44.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.39 $4.39

-7.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.38 $4.38

13.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.29 $3.29

-18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.16 $2.16

23.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.32 $2.32

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.98 $1.98

58.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.92 $8.92

54.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.81 $8.81

68.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.06 $2.06

23.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.96 $3.96

-11.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.28 $2.28

6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$56.6 $56.6

29.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.76 $4.76

-33.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.37 $1.37

1.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$15.13 $15.13

65.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.12 $1.12

7.14%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.48%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$22.2K $22.2K

20.30%

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

$194 $194

$209 $209

-7.03%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$69.6 $69.6

-0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$89.0 $89.0

-30.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$37.91 $37.91

26.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.09 $15.09

18.03%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,517 $1,517

18.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.1K $17.1K

86.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.6 $55.6

20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.11 $39.11

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$112 $112

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$106 $106

35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,240 $1,240

103.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,011 $1,011

56.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,601 $2,601

82.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,944 $2,944

-8.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,577 $2,577

62.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,230 $2,230

24.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,927 $3,927

25.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rutland, VT: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Rutland, VT

$1K 43% 35.9% $567

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Rutland, VT

$371 15.8% 17.2% $77

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Rutland, VT

$317 13.5% 8.1% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Rutland, VT

$368 15.6% 13% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Rutland, VT

$140 6% 14.3% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Rutland, VT

$77 3.3% 17.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Rutland, VT

$68 2.9% 18.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,240 in Rutland, VT. 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, 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 $99 in Rutland, VT. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $371 in Rutland, VT – so Rutland, VT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rutland, VT

🕒 Local time

20:04 8:04 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

15,074

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Rutland, VT 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Rutland, VT

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 Rutland, VT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,352 in Rutland, VT – Rutland, VT comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,528 in Rutland, VT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rutland, VT, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,240 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 Rutland, VT. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Rutland, VT – 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 Rutland, VT. 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.