Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Surprise, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Surprise, AZ: $1,244 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $21,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Surprise, AZ
Learn more

Surprise, AZ Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Surprise, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Surprise, AZ

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 Surprise, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,244 in Surprise, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Surprise, AZ $1,244

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,511 in Surprise, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Surprise, AZ $3,511

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,778 in Surprise, AZ, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Surprise, AZ $5,778

Chicago, IL costs about 144% more than Surprise, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chicago, IL sits 123% above the global median, while Surprise, AZ is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.95 $19.95

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$84.8 $84.8

5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.71 $9.71

35.84%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.93 $5.93

-4.55%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.03 $3.03

-12.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.70 $2.70

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.08 $6.08

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.82 $7.82

13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.78 $0.78

60.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.87 $3.87

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.29 $3.29

63.83%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.31 $4.31

9.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.32 $13.32

3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.60 $9.60

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.98 $14.98

22.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.32 $5.32

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.91 $1.91

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.20 $4.20

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.63 $2.63

88.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.38 $3.38

-21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.21 $3.21

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.48 $1.48

51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.63 $1.63

92.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.24 $11.24

22.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.97 $13.97

6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.75 $1.75

45.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.07 $3.07

14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.79 $2.79

13.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.35 $1.35

2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.82 $32.82

-23.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.11 $1.11

8.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

-0.02%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

5.80%

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

$194 $194

$227 $227

-14.24%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.2 $60.2

15.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.8 $65.8

-6.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$58.9 $58.9

-18.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.18 $11.18

59.30%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,020 $1,020

75.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$22.9K $22.9K

39.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$51.8 $51.8

29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$45.57 $45.57

14.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$71.6 $71.6

41.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$72.7 $72.7

97.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,070 $2,070

128.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,015 $3,015

-10.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,584 $1,584

74.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,325 $4,325

14.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Surprise, AZ: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Surprise, AZ

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Surprise, AZ

$363 29.2% 18.9% $85

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Surprise, AZ

$329 26.4% 4.7% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Surprise, AZ

$353 28.4% 8.4% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Surprise, AZ

$109 8.7% 33.7% $55

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Surprise, AZ

$9.5 * 0.8% 89.8% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Surprise, AZ

$81 6.5% 2.7% $2.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $85 in Surprise, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $363 – making Surprise, AZ the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Surprise, AZ

🕒 Local time

21:22 9:22 PM

20:22 8:22 PM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

143,148

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Surprise, AZ 2,350 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Surprise, AZ

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 Surprise, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,244 in Surprise, AZ – Surprise, AZ comes out roughly 59% 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 $1,866 in Surprise, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $85 in Surprise, AZ. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surprise, AZ, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Surprise, AZ 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 $1,244 in Surprise, AZ to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Surprise, AZ. 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.