Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Spanish Fork, UT

For one person, living is cheaper in Spanish Fork, UT: $2,385 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Spanish Fork, UT
Learn more

Spanish Fork, UT Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Spanish Fork, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,385

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Spanish Fork, UT

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 Spanish Fork, UT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,385 in Spanish Fork, UT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Spanish Fork, UT $2,385

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,200 in Spanish Fork, UT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Spanish Fork, UT $3,200

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,015 in Spanish Fork, UT, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Spanish Fork, UT $4,015

Chicago, IL costs about 32% more than Spanish Fork, UT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Spanish Fork, UT sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Spanish Fork, UT by 76%.

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

$74.4 $74.4

21.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.98 $9.98

29.66%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.85 $4.85

15.46%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.21 $2.21

19.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.72 $1.72

31.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.85 $5.85

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.08 $5.08

73.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.68 $0.68

86.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.77 $2.77

37.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.85 $3.85

37.66%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.42 $2.42

96.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.34 $8.34

67.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.80 $8.80

66.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.86 $13.86

35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.17 $4.17

24.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 $1.43

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.72 $3.72

5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.87 $3.87

28.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.20 $2.20

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.50 $2.50

10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.87 $1.87

18.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.94 $1.94

53.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.33 $10.33

35.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.93 $14.93

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.69 $2.69

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.28 $3.28

6.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.24 $2.24

10.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.48 $2.48

34.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.24 $2.24

-36.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$25.04 $25.04

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.7K $34.7K

0.94%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.98%

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

$193 $193

$194 $194

-0.78%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$29.31 $29.31

132.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$34.55 $34.55

77.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$46.27 $46.27

16.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.79 $14.79

19.95%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,291 $1,291

27.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$20.4K $20.4K

52.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$55.1 $55.1

19.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$45.71 $45.71

12.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$49.56 $49.56

102.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$69.4 $69.4

103.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,609 $1,609

52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,319 $1,319

27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,803 $1,803

161.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,626 $1,626

71.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,694 $2,694

52.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,541 $2,541

4.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,180 $3,180

52.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

4.5

51.33%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Spanish Fork, UT: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Spanish Fork, UT

$1.3K 55.3% 21.4% $359

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Spanish Fork, UT

$326 13.7% 27.4% $123

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Spanish Fork, UT

$285 12% 17% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Spanish Fork, UT

$258 10.8% 19.9% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Spanish Fork, UT

$99 4.2% 38.7% $62

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Spanish Fork, UT

$23 * 1% 76.2% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Spanish Fork, UT

$76 3.2% 15.4% $14

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 $1,609 in Spanish Fork, UT. 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 53% 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 $74.0 in Spanish Fork, UT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $326 – making Spanish Fork, UT the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Spanish Fork, UT

🕒 Local time

23:35 11:35 PM

22:35 10:35 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

42,602

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Spanish Fork, UT 2,020 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Spanish Fork, UT

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 Spanish Fork, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,385 in Spanish Fork, UT – roughly 32% 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 $3,578 in Spanish Fork, UT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Spanish Fork, UT, 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 $74.0 in Spanish Fork, UT. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Spanish Fork, UT, where all-in costs run around $2,385, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Spanish Fork, UT 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 $2,385 in Spanish Fork, UT to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Spanish Fork, UT. 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.