Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Steamboat Springs, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Steamboat Springs, CO: $2,706 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Steamboat Springs, CO
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Steamboat Springs, CO Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Steamboat Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,706

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Steamboat Springs, CO

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 Steamboat Springs, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,706 in Steamboat Springs, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Steamboat Springs, CO $2,706

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,065 in Steamboat Springs, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Steamboat Springs, CO $4,065

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,423 in Steamboat Springs, CO, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Steamboat Springs, CO $5,423

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Steamboat Springs, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Steamboat Springs, CO sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Steamboat Springs, CO by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$24.76 $24.76

-16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$125 $125

-28.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$15.03 $15.03

-13.91%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.92 $6.92

-19.08%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$4.51 $4.51

-41.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.82 $2.82

-19.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.39 $7.39

-5.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.68 $7.68

14.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.00 $1.00

27.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.44 $3.44

10.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.85 $3.85

37.66%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.13 $4.13

15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.32 $12.32

13.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.58 $11.58

26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.06 $17.06

10.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.29 $5.29

-1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.28 $4.28

-8.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.40 $5.40

-8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.47 $2.47

11.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.93 $2.93

-5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.38 $2.38

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.26 $2.26

31.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.87 $9.87

42.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$20.66 $20.66

-26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.03 $2.03

27.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.42 $3.42

2.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.04 $2.04

21.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.05 $3.05

9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.99 $1.99

-28.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$30.56 $30.56

-20.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.12 $1.12

12.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.1K $32.1K

9.15%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.11%

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

$193 $193

$199 $199

-2.99%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$58.1 $58.1

17.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$74.0 $74.0

-17.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$71.3 $71.3

-24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.15 $14.15

25.37%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,388 $1,388

19.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$21.3K $21.3K

45.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$53.1 $53.1

24.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.97 $40.97

25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$89.6 $89.6

11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$114 $114

23.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,222 $2,222

10.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,301 $1,301

28.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$5,232 $5,232

-9.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,109 $2,109

32.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,670 $2,670

53.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,381 $2,381

11.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

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 19, 2026

Last update for Steamboat Springs, CO: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$1.3K 48.1% 22.4% $376

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$411 15.2% 8.5% $38

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$408 15.1% 18.7% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$331 12.2% 2.6% $8.5

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$134 5% 16.8% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$21 * 0.8% 77.8% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Steamboat Springs, CO

$100 3.7% 11.2% $10

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 $2,222 in Steamboat Springs, CO. 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $125 in Steamboat Springs, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $411 in Steamboat Springs, CO – so Steamboat Springs, CO wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Steamboat Springs, CO

🕒 Local time

01:02 1:02 AM

00:02 12:02 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

13,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Steamboat Springs, CO 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Steamboat Springs, CO

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 Steamboat Springs, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,706 in Steamboat Springs, CO – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,059 in Steamboat Springs, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Steamboat Springs, CO, 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 $125 in Steamboat Springs, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,706 in Steamboat Springs, CO. 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 $2,706 in Steamboat Springs, CO 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 Steamboat Springs, CO. 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.