Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Summerville, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,315 in Summerville, SC, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 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
160

Cost of Living Index in Summerville, SC
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Summerville, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Summerville, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,315

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Summerville, SC

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 Summerville, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,315 in Summerville, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Summerville, SC $3,315

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,958 in Summerville, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Summerville, SC $4,958

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,600 in Summerville, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Summerville, SC $6,600

Chicago, IL is about 8% cheaper than Summerville, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Summerville, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Summerville, SC by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.05 $18.05

14.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$99.0 $99.0

-9.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.02 $12.02

9.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.60 $6.60

-14.24%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.29 $3.29

-19.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.17 $2.17

5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.38 $8.38

-18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.97 $7.97

10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.03 $1.03

21.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.38 $4.38

-15.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.55 $6.55

-17.71%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.32 $3.32

42.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.53 $15.53

-10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$24.89 $24.89

-42.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$23.40 $23.40

-21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.91 $7.91

-34.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.92 $1.92

3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$8.78 $8.78

-53.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$7.74 $7.74

-35.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.78 $3.78

-29.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.55 $4.55

-41.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.24 $3.24

-30.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.70 $2.70

15.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.32 $11.32

22.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.95 $12.95

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.44 $2.44

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.42 $2.42

45.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.73 $0.73

232.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.04 $30.04

144.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.12 $5.12

-37.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.53 $1.53

-9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$34.40 $34.40

-27.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.9K $30.9K

13.36%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$33.2K $33.2K

-19.70%

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

$194 $194

$213 $213

-8.78%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$98.0 $98.0

-29.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$82.9 $82.9

-25.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$33.03 $33.03

45.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.75 $14.75

20.75%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,476 $1,476

21.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.7K $21.7K

46.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.3 $55.3

21.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.57 $42.57

22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.9 $96.9

4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

22.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,153 $2,153

17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,765 $1,765

-10.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,857 $3,857

22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,088 $3,088

-12.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,882 $4,882

1.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Summerville, SC: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Summerville, SC

$1.8K 53.2% 11.8% $187

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Summerville, SC

$568 17.1% 27% $121

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Summerville, SC

$339 10.2% 1.6% $5.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Summerville, SC

$394 11.9% 21% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Summerville, SC

$141 4.2% 14.3% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Summerville, SC

$46 1.4% 51% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Summerville, SC

$63 1.9% 25.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,153 in Summerville, SC. 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 $99 in Summerville, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $568 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Summerville, SC

🕒 Local time

00:13 12:13 AM

01:13 1:13 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

50,738

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Summerville, SC 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Summerville, SC

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 Summerville, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,315 in Summerville, SC – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 8% 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 $4,973 in Summerville, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Summerville, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,153 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Summerville, SC, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $99 in Summerville, SC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,315 in Summerville, SC. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,315 in Summerville, SC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.