Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Springfield, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Springfield, MO: $2,215 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, MO
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Springfield, MO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Springfield, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,215

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,215 in Springfield, MO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Springfield, MO $2,215

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,219 in Springfield, MO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Springfield, MO $3,219

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,223 in Springfield, MO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Springfield, MO $4,223

Chicago, IL costs about 37% more than Springfield, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Springfield, MO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Springfield, MO by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$27.66 $27.66

-25.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$60.7 $60.7

47.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.03 $11.03

19.58%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.02 $5.02

12.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.31 $2.31

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 $2.22

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.49 $4.49

53.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.36 $6.36

38.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.09 $1.09

14.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.34 $3.34

11.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.21 $2.21

143.89%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.66 $3.66

29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.04 $11.04

25.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.61 $8.61

67.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.48 $15.48

18.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.49 $4.49

16.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.12 $1.12

76.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.97 $2.97

36.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.32 $4.32

15.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.63 $1.63

63.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.33 $2.33

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.75 $1.75

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.01 $2.01

55.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.21 $8.21

68.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.73 $13.73

8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.79 $1.79

41.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.30 $4.30

-18.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.01 $1.01

140.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.87 $45.87

60.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.06 $3.06

3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.46 $1.46

-4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$36.06 $36.06

-30.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.07%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.40%

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

$194 $194

$267 $267

-27.31%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.5 $59.5

16.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.8 $73.8

-16.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$38.80 $38.80

23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$35.60 $35.60

-23.20%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.06 $13.06

36.37%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$758 $758

136.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$71.8 $71.8

-6.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.02 $37.02

40.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$77.3 $77.3

31.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$126 $126

13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,107 $1,107

128.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$842 $842

87.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,585 $1,585

198.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,321 $1,321

103.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,947 $1,947

115.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,722 $1,722

60.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,971 $2,971

65.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.36

7.08%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Springfield, MO: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Springfield, MO

$842 38% 46.6% $736

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Springfield, MO

$339 15.3% 24.3% $109

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Springfield, MO

$368 16.6% 6.6% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Springfield, MO

$401 18.1% 23.1% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Springfield, MO

$141 6.4% 14.2% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Springfield, MO

$60 2.7% 35.4% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Springfield, MO

$65 2.9% 22.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,107 in Springfield, 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 66% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $61 in Springfield, MO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $339 – making Springfield, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Springfield, MO

🕒 Local time

04:18 4:18 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

116,482

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Springfield, MO 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Springfield, 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 Springfield, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,215 in Springfield, MO – Springfield, MO comes out roughly 27% 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 $3,323 in Springfield, MO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Springfield, MO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,107 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Springfield, MO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Springfield, MO, where all-in costs run around $2,215, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Springfield, MO it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Springfield, MO. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.