Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Show Low, AZ

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Show Low, AZ: $3,037 and $3,000 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Show Low, AZ
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Show Low, AZ Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Show Low, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Show Low, AZ

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 Show Low, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,000 in Show Low, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Show Low, AZ $3,000

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,156 in Show Low, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Show Low, AZ $4,156

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,312 in Show Low, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Show Low, AZ $5,312

Chicago, IL and Show Low, AZ have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Show Low, AZ sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Show Low, AZ by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.39 $17.39

19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.9 $78.9

13.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$18.74 $18.74

-29.62%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.92 $5.92

-4.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.43 $3.43

-23.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.73 $2.73

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.16 $6.16

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.87 $6.87

28.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.41 $1.41

-11.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.49 $4.49

-17.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.33 $4.33

24.48%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.10 $4.10

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.51 $11.51

20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.34 $11.34

26.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.81 $17.81

3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.72 $5.72

-8.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.51 $4.51

-9.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.67 $4.67

6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.18 $3.18

-16.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.04 $3.04

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.96 $1.96

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.52 $2.52

24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.19 $10.19

35.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.93 $14.93

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.07 $2.07

22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.45 $3.45

1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.26 $2.26

7.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$63.5 $63.5

15.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.16 $3.16

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.97 $1.97

-29.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.78 $30.78

-18.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.13 $1.13

6.19%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

23.31%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.23%

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

$194 $194

$204 $204

-4.53%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.7 $57.7

20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$101 $101

-39.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.67 $39.67

20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.14 $9.14

94.86%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,331 $1,331

34.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

20.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$49.79 $49.79

34.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.09 $47.09

10.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$90.3 $90.3

12.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$104 $104

38.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,488 $1,488

69.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,609 $1,609

-1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,472 $2,472

91.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,295 $2,295

17.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,989 $2,989

40.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,423 $2,423

14.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Show Low, AZ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Show Low, AZ

$1.6K 53.7% 2% $31

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Show Low, AZ

$418 13.9% 6.6% $29

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Show Low, AZ

$336 11.2% 2.7% $9.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Show Low, AZ

$362 12.1% 11.4% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Show Low, AZ

$131 4.4% 20.2% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Show Low, AZ

$86 2.9% 8.4% $7.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Show Low, AZ

$58 1.9% 30.6% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,488 in Show Low, AZ. 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Show Low, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $418 – making Show Low, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Show Low, AZ

🕒 Local time

00:11 12:11 AM

23:11 11:11 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

11,732

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Show Low, AZ 2,130 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Show Low, AZ

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 Show Low, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,499 in Show Low, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Show Low, AZ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,488 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Show Low, AZ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Show Low, AZ. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Families tend to lean toward Show Low, AZ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.