Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Sandpoint, ID

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Sandpoint, ID: $3,037 and $3,058 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Sandpoint, ID
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Sandpoint, ID Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Sandpoint, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$3,058

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Sandpoint, ID

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 Sandpoint, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,058 in Sandpoint, ID, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Sandpoint, ID $3,058

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,193 in Sandpoint, ID, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Sandpoint, ID $4,193

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,328 in Sandpoint, ID, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Sandpoint, ID $5,328

Chicago, IL and Sandpoint, ID have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Sandpoint, ID sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Sandpoint, ID by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.11 $14.11

46.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.4 $76.4

16.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.02 $11.02

19.69%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.28 $4.28

32.24%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.32 $2.32

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.19 $2.19

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.83 $5.83

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.97 $5.97

48.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.94 $0.94

32.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.29 $3.29

13.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.39 $4.39

22.78%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$1.96 $1.96

141.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.04 $16.04

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.87 $13.87

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.72 $13.72

33.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.31 $6.31

-17.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.76 $1.76

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.37 $5.37

-24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.77 $5.77

-13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.15 $3.15

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.15 $2.15

23.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.96 $1.96

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.90 $1.90

64.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.12 $12.12

14.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.05 $14.05

5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.86 $1.86

36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.97 $4.97

-29.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$59.9 $59.9

22.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.09 $5.09

-37.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.71 $1.71

-18.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.97 $39.97

-37.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.39%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.59%

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

$194 $194

$176 $176

10.53%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.9 $59.9

16.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.1 $73.1

-15.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.94 $40.94

17.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$8.56 $8.56

108.06%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,392 $1,392

28.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

49.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.0 $52.0

29.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$50.5 $50.5

3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$137 $137

4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,896 $1,896

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,789 $1,789

-11.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,670 $2,670

77.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,507 $2,507

7.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,723 $2,723

53.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,340 $2,340

18.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,099 $2,099

134.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.76

0.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sandpoint, ID: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Sandpoint, ID

$1.8K 58.5% 13.4% $211

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Sandpoint, ID

$411 13.4% 8.2% $37

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Sandpoint, ID

$256 8.4% 25.7% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Sandpoint, ID

$309 10.1% 5.1% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Sandpoint, ID

$153 5% 6.6% $11

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Sandpoint, ID

$81 2.7% 12.7% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Sandpoint, ID

$58 1.9% 30.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,896 in Sandpoint, ID. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chicago, IL are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in Sandpoint, ID. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $411 – making Sandpoint, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Sandpoint, ID

🕒 Local time

17:09 5:09 PM

15:09 3:09 PM

2 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

9,000

💱 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 Sandpoint, ID 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Sandpoint, ID

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 Sandpoint, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,587 in Sandpoint, ID. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandpoint, ID, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,896 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Sandpoint, ID. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Sandpoint, ID. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,058 in Sandpoint, ID. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,058 in Sandpoint, ID. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.