Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Springdale, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Springdale, AR: $2,649 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Springdale, AR
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Springdale, AR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Springdale, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,649

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Springdale, AR

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 Springdale, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,649 in Springdale, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Springdale, AR $2,649

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,845 in Springdale, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Springdale, AR $3,845

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,041 in Springdale, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Springdale, AR $5,041

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Springdale, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Springdale, AR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Springdale, AR by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.15 $19.15

8.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.9 $75.9

17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.85 $10.85

21.57%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.20 $5.20

8.85%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.47 $2.47

6.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.11 $6.11

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.07 $7.07

25.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.52 $3.52

5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.38 $4.38

23.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.17 $4.17

13.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.42 $12.42

11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.22 $11.22

28.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.51 $15.51

18.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.83 $4.83

8.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.31 $4.31

-5.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.81 $4.81

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.87 $2.87

-6.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.80 $2.80

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.10 $2.10

49.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.44 $9.44

46.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.25 $14.25

4.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.44 $3.44

2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.3 $55.3

32.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.60 $3.60

-11.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.65 $1.65

-15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.26 $29.26

-14.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.7K $29.7K

17.94%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.28%

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

$194 $194

$188 $188

3.58%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.4 $53.4

30.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.0 $68.0

-9.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.89 $42.89

11.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.41 $13.41

32.81%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,273 $1,273

40.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.0K $23.0K

38.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.5 $50.5

32.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.19 $40.19

29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.4 $86.4

17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$112 $112

28.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,586 $1,586

59.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,368 $1,368

15.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,602 $2,602

82.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,201 $2,201

22.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,799 $2,799

49.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,415 $2,415

14.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Springdale, AR: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Springdale, AR

$1.4K 51.6% 13.3% $210

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Springdale, AR

$387 14.6% 13.5% $60

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Springdale, AR

$311 11.7% 9.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Springdale, AR

$309 11.7% 5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Springdale, AR

$130 4.9% 20.7% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Springdale, AR

$75 2.8% 19.4% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Springdale, AR

$70 2.6% 16.5% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,586 in Springdale, AR. 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 $76 in Springdale, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $387 – making Springdale, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Springdale, AR

🕒 Local time

04:59 4:59 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

84,161

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Springdale, AR 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Springdale, AR

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 Springdale, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,649 in Springdale, AR – Springdale, AR comes out roughly 13% 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 $3,974 in Springdale, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Springdale, AR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,586 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,649 in Springdale, AR. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Springdale, AR is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 13% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.