Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Topeka, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Topeka, KS: $1,901 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 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
93

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
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Topeka, KS Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,901

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,901 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Topeka, KS $1,901

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,863 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Topeka, KS $2,863

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,825 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Topeka, KS $3,825

Chicago, IL costs about 65% more than Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Topeka, KS sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Topeka, KS by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$13.27 $13.27

55.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$51.2 $51.2

76.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.03 $10.03

29.01%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$3.40 $3.40

64.71%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.35 $2.35

12.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.80 $1.80

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.46 $4.46

56.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.81 $8.81

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.86 $0.86

47.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.70 $2.70

40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.94 $2.94

80.27%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.09 $4.09

16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.93 $8.93

56.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.26 $8.26

76.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$15.10 $15.10

24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.90 $4.90

5.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.13 $5.13

-23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.13 $4.13

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.48 $3.48

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.61 $2.61

5.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.85 $1.85

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.80 $0.80

272.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.17 $9.17

52.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.05 $12.05

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.85 $1.85

39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.65 $1.65

112.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.91 $3.91

-36.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$49.53 $49.53

50.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.70 $2.70

23.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.52 $1.52

-5.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$33.60 $33.60

-27.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.88 $0.88

43.18%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

32.88%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.3K $26.3K

-0.93%

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

$193 $193

$145 $145

32.48%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$47.02 $47.02

45.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$65.0 $65.0

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$44.11 $44.11

22.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$15.09 $15.09

85.02%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.38 $13.38

32.59%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$434 $434

280.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$38.71 $38.71

70.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$28.08 $28.08

82.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$89.7 $89.7

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$80.4 $80.4

75.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$792 $792

208.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$835 $835

100.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,283 $1,283

267.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,496 $1,496

86.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,443 $1,443

184.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,334 $1,334

98.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,708 $3,708

31.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.24

9.13%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Topeka, KS

$835 43.9% 50.2% $842

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Topeka, KS

$322 16.9% 28.4% $128

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Topeka, KS

$234 12.3% 32% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Topeka, KS

$257 13.5% 20.1% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.6% 33.9% $55

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Topeka, KS

$75 4% 20.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Topeka, KS

$71 3.7% 20.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $792 in Topeka, KS. 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 31% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $51.0 in Topeka, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $322 – making Topeka, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

14:14 2:14 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

124,331

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Topeka, KS 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $1,901 in Topeka, KS – roughly 65% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,851 in Topeka, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Topeka, KS, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $51.0 in Topeka, KS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Topeka, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,901, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Topeka, KS 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 $1,901 in Topeka, KS to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Topeka, KS. 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.