Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Saint Joseph, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO: $2,485 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Saint Joseph, MO
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Saint Joseph, MO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Saint Joseph, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Saint Joseph, MO

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 Saint Joseph, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Saint Joseph, MO $2,485

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,629 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Saint Joseph, MO $3,629

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,773 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Saint Joseph, MO $4,773

Chicago, IL costs about 26% more than Saint Joseph, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Saint Joseph, MO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Saint Joseph, MO by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.25 $20.25

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$50.1 $50.1

79.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.79 $10.79

19.93%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.09 $5.09

10.02%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.14 $2.14

23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.10 $1.10

106.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.92 $4.92

41.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.61 $7.61

16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.89 $0.89

42.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.26 $3.26

16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.10 $6.10

-13.11%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.67 $4.67

1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.63 $11.63

20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.39 $8.39

74.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.71 $14.71

27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.98 $6.98

-25.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.16 $2.16

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.80 $5.80

-32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.36 $4.36

13.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.42 $3.42

-19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.73 $3.73

-26.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.91 $1.91

16.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.53 $2.53

17.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.74 $8.74

60.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$17.28 $17.28

-11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.87 $1.87

37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.45 $2.45

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.97 $1.97

25.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$5.10 $5.10

-34.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.81 $1.81

-20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$35.53 $35.53

-31.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 $1.04

21.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.49%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.24%

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

$193 $193

$147 $147

31.12%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$47.87 $47.87

42.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.0 $66.0

-7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.97 $40.97

32.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$15.29 $15.29

16.02%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$812 $812

103.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.8K $20.8K

49.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$47.92 $47.92

37.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$34.63 $34.63

47.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$89.1 $89.1

12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$116 $116

21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,616 $1,616

51.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,289 $1,289

30.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,489 $2,489

89.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,185 $2,185

27.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,569 $1,569

161.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,566 $1,566

69.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,880 $2,880

68.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.37

6.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Saint Joseph, MO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Saint Joseph, MO

$1.3K 51.9% 23.1% $388

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Saint Joseph, MO

$403 16.2% 10.3% $46

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Saint Joseph, MO

$308 12.4% 10.2% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Saint Joseph, MO

$261 10.5% 19% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Saint Joseph, MO

$130 5.2% 19.7% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Saint Joseph, MO

$22 * 0.9% 76.8% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Saint Joseph, MO

$72 2.9% 20.1% $18

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 $1,616 in Saint Joseph, MO. 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 69% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $403 – making Saint Joseph, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MO

🕒 Local time

05:19 5:19 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

76,780

💱 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 Saint Joseph, MO 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Saint Joseph, MO

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 Saint Joseph, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,727 in Saint Joseph, MO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO, 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 $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Joseph, MO. 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.